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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101845

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6b13a9be5000c787d1f7aceb2b2c312f2858442baefc78d4a2ca0670301070ea

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101845, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101845" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101845 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101845 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17424, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "52828c1595bc56e42c2c68bc7d99422dfe3cd3a411f80b9dece26d8a374b0769" }, { "bytes": 7250, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "05c67a714b50560383130fe24852e500205dfc49ef33717060df8ca1a6afbe75" }, { "bytes": 6947, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6b13a9be5000c787d1f7aceb2b2c312f2858442baefc78d4a2ca0670301070ea" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101845/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101845", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7c4a-9d70-1ac7e7bcae51" } YOk1Q86R1H+ZGm5RJerpSLq8KRzOCy+COzOsC6N8ZAf8t11PRUzrnGUun4DZm5ZYy1wKDGk7jS9/j3rHHYncAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: YOk1Q86R1H+ZGm5RJerpSLq8KRzOCy+COzOsC6N8ZAf8t11PRUzrnGUun4DZm5ZYy1wKDGk7jS9/j3rHHYncAA== {"files":[{"bytes":18222,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cfa71c9d3f091784868693247a7385d04ae6d52155fe1a6eeecc736ff3da7f32"},{"bytes":7938,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a21f2a9754d4b16a5a25d9b6208ef7a1ee738fd240f9bd46a7b20db71ff04b63"},{"bytes":7632,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e2f9e914d34583d37c0222c0ff4e497540e7e65f59ad8e50bef00fccfbb419a2"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"935a8e02ce1be5dace2ba5c049887369036cc6e22250c9c81ffcdec0d7eb1a3a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9cf7e21804cbe280957b9bc40ebf36545451f28a5418ce4a081395010a1a6e52"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"767c863f8a68ddf73933e2876b9639d8ed92e1a0cb31d437044143dfba43fda3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101846"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101846
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101846

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e2f9e914d34583d37c0222c0ff4e497540e7e65f59ad8e50bef00fccfbb419a2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101846, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101846" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101846 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101846 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18222, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cfa71c9d3f091784868693247a7385d04ae6d52155fe1a6eeecc736ff3da7f32" }, { "bytes": 7938, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a21f2a9754d4b16a5a25d9b6208ef7a1ee738fd240f9bd46a7b20db71ff04b63" }, { "bytes": 7632, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e2f9e914d34583d37c0222c0ff4e497540e7e65f59ad8e50bef00fccfbb419a2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101846/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101846", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7a03-97f2-6c5a935d46ff" } VXb5lLEv+ihKjWTskUoRzHlQn8NcqxmBImk86G0ZpQBuU6yhA55XcLoULk2Rxo/opPS/PnCCAdE+lLw228XqCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VXb5lLEv+ihKjWTskUoRzHlQn8NcqxmBImk86G0ZpQBuU6yhA55XcLoULk2Rxo/opPS/PnCCAdE+lLw228XqCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17973,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b78ea041404240e2bb3027857c39bfa59c6196e108879b1d2261927d44f88dd4"},{"bytes":7732,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"432a060849115363f525b93ae5e37a8b46d11015f41d513577fc8f776269374d"},{"bytes":7426,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bc8111602cf733fda6aabf5c506d3b278d87c358669542bbfc376dfcac2db71e"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"23b336bb3d466ff6f018417d8989b35d8a6c8f3a8514010c0177708b853ab6c4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1251632d063d4e1db5192c7d4eced794e08128cd9ec9c933b4b64c17c356fa6f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d4db1ba6127787c98614b11332bc49eedde5b6b7f4df6c9c7dd0618e2fd91ce4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101847"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101847
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101847

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
bc8111602cf733fda6aabf5c506d3b278d87c358669542bbfc376dfcac2db71e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101847, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101847" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101847 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101847 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17973, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b78ea041404240e2bb3027857c39bfa59c6196e108879b1d2261927d44f88dd4" }, { "bytes": 7732, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "432a060849115363f525b93ae5e37a8b46d11015f41d513577fc8f776269374d" }, { "bytes": 7426, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bc8111602cf733fda6aabf5c506d3b278d87c358669542bbfc376dfcac2db71e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101847/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101847", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7483-ada7-d3d0bd1282ee" } 2fPoeZYC0YnRRMqVl24Ha5ZaDRhW30JLi8eMeybbmGXgpMDSpabMblQNmac3yDzs80FAhlalkc6vNanNWAfnAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 2fPoeZYC0YnRRMqVl24Ha5ZaDRhW30JLi8eMeybbmGXgpMDSpabMblQNmac3yDzs80FAhlalkc6vNanNWAfnAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17425,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1d9bab82da0bfe819b6bae1d8ae1df5142458c22e54b03eec48eb7fe1343c18a"},{"bytes":7251,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a72d2f780d72fbbdc7d6928d49a7f6b4516a4b63695cc7d2d5cc59271e65aba2"},{"bytes":6948,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"69123892bb2e0a24379d3c37d8b04d610d921b9fbd0ab627fc6b320d07d173d7"},{"bytes":2763,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c23801b62dfc80d94b8386b8aca7240a374416085f8a8ed097aef8cf5c45ac7b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"74c357314367847aefc045d09c2cb87bbe394ea7a13ff0330adad21234dac599"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f750db38abd5cb15a503bcc9f79f2766fa79247184e07ecd251500a9e0c6a001"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101848"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101848
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101848

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
69123892bb2e0a24379d3c37d8b04d610d921b9fbd0ab627fc6b320d07d173d7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101848, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101848" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101848 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101848 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17425, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1d9bab82da0bfe819b6bae1d8ae1df5142458c22e54b03eec48eb7fe1343c18a" }, { "bytes": 7251, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a72d2f780d72fbbdc7d6928d49a7f6b4516a4b63695cc7d2d5cc59271e65aba2" }, { "bytes": 6948, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "69123892bb2e0a24379d3c37d8b04d610d921b9fbd0ab627fc6b320d07d173d7" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101848/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101848", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7586-825e-742383612f3b" } +5COd/06kO9yb7Lg7YStNf2yRM6Xh2JlYXS6uVr3I43cub+9QnEHti5/sVrpUImfKp2BCfwjEx73cL6rSxQMAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +5COd/06kO9yb7Lg7YStNf2yRM6Xh2JlYXS6uVr3I43cub+9QnEHti5/sVrpUImfKp2BCfwjEx73cL6rSxQMAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18223,"name":"index.html","sha256":"aa5257114150c5c7491a89b92ee621b91842577b5ba6de2d0499b3d72302b0c2"},{"bytes":7939,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b84d27196746a2d714ad2d14acf998679fcbc3f5f6a649054970b99779cc94c3"},{"bytes":7633,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0faab64c6a598d03d5902ca50556f605dde674f9c1f80ea01a348a0213a36fc1"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"64f17a863c54d23d9062dfe7568ff233dd07f48eae0a2b86578c3ecc68f42497"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5c01d3b3100b7f57c03c63a3b41e3de14c5ccf48ce3157584c1edc37f741c1d4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ffe99e401d87e2201936492699b1312f467073524ed5739ea118eef38d1316a1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101849"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101849
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101849

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0faab64c6a598d03d5902ca50556f605dde674f9c1f80ea01a348a0213a36fc1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101849, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101849" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101849 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101849 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18223, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "aa5257114150c5c7491a89b92ee621b91842577b5ba6de2d0499b3d72302b0c2" }, { "bytes": 7939, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b84d27196746a2d714ad2d14acf998679fcbc3f5f6a649054970b99779cc94c3" }, { "bytes": 7633, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0faab64c6a598d03d5902ca50556f605dde674f9c1f80ea01a348a0213a36fc1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101849/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101849", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7d1c-86e4-c1960fcca12a" } 2Vy/oUE6+ki5DHqDrUnvnoheHCoQtefu0Pbadomz46lz3spkDrAaPn4P07o5S098zjXZHYWaqjNMBho6vJOpCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 2Vy/oUE6+ki5DHqDrUnvnoheHCoQtefu0Pbadomz46lz3spkDrAaPn4P07o5S098zjXZHYWaqjNMBho6vJOpCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17974,"name":"index.html","sha256":"22bdcbafcc8817b3bf213467d76b971ae3aad7dbcfa1c8ea82901442db4685d3"},{"bytes":7733,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"eda3d1505a5bd8d654801415b32c3b778739efd9e6d7743b66858e74a3b3e3dd"},{"bytes":7427,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2f31be1eaa5a14c08dfbc311e5bebe130fc4f294bacc0d8b290edc429ad219e2"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3ceb09ef4ed0d3c685c074ed178221a2155c88d6fbe0860b88962c160b47b6d4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fbe1f5bd646620d798751604601a0094e241cd6c5e8729c94f5681740db8f0da"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2f756a4f5de84444a84297c2fdf60018e61c3093d47b70075554eb35cb2d0cad"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101850"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101850
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101850

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2f31be1eaa5a14c08dfbc311e5bebe130fc4f294bacc0d8b290edc429ad219e2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101850, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101850" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101850 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101850 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17974, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "22bdcbafcc8817b3bf213467d76b971ae3aad7dbcfa1c8ea82901442db4685d3" }, { "bytes": 7733, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "eda3d1505a5bd8d654801415b32c3b778739efd9e6d7743b66858e74a3b3e3dd" }, { "bytes": 7427, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2f31be1eaa5a14c08dfbc311e5bebe130fc4f294bacc0d8b290edc429ad219e2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101850/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101850", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-712c-a942-77a74f151e18" } OyHVmC+Tw8o+jPSeTqBkUFjbkUIKK5DxZdft3aiD2NLR27nPSspqzcozJnJUQiXWet/JAoRZ03a+ALn6cSanDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: OyHVmC+Tw8o+jPSeTqBkUFjbkUIKK5DxZdft3aiD2NLR27nPSspqzcozJnJUQiXWet/JAoRZ03a+ALn6cSanDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17429,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0b20b1372f92447322a1ce5ff89d6cb1d7e4a569c7bc43f86872dd71368d39bc"},{"bytes":7255,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0267434ffeb4c998c93846b0ccdcb33c5c609a3a92e6ef00a89c649663551bd4"},{"bytes":6952,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"697f49d9c21a45743ab68a3a966444c510a8c65edac56e5b2a982145d8a685a0"},{"bytes":2763,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e522143975759e0b795c847ca81147f182888e21f5ad1e9aaffd5144480b732b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4d5d334095ddb2db14b5e136f1ac1c8a17b7e747f4a00e7bfb680bb96c35f121"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7d95f5005acf5003ebf44d20b299dd01e42f3c91af5dc36b67848886015c01d1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101851"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101851
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101851

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
697f49d9c21a45743ab68a3a966444c510a8c65edac56e5b2a982145d8a685a0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101851, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101851.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101851" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101851" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101851 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101851 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101851 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101851 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101852

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8bfa44e76604c3cb43584e51686ef68698d2e28800e4fa2b6912e6382e8c93a0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101852, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101852" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101852 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101852 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18227, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "579129fe1f7a23c5c41b84bced8d9ee982615c84d757d24092243b89ec8a14f5" }, { "bytes": 7943, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e553f672e32b01ed6db5bdf075b308ce3dead5a52ffe29181c61f9a06bef99b2" }, { "bytes": 7637, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8bfa44e76604c3cb43584e51686ef68698d2e28800e4fa2b6912e6382e8c93a0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101852/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101852", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7309-8928-dd8a0b654c92" } 6reHmryNeqmu8zgA/Nf4v5wTeBwyk1Lb3nYzcg9w83tkt+rOBFQTi6wC7n+5GbwfG/C49MqgDuV9dAoCBoJMDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6reHmryNeqmu8zgA/Nf4v5wTeBwyk1Lb3nYzcg9w83tkt+rOBFQTi6wC7n+5GbwfG/C49MqgDuV9dAoCBoJMDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17978,"name":"index.html","sha256":"217f048a388dbbca038fe8046c9be00933e2e3bda690f2c20a80015784f05f91"},{"bytes":7737,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c6e56dbaeed8cee5d3785f2f14161ae1bfa1468a01ac1b7a1a14fbf379c88f70"},{"bytes":7431,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cd74c158ec1eded65241499aa3e3cc61de0b7849e3772a13fa55242997acbcfa"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c72ee6eba4f257f043770aed9a07e727cafd3d871bd1d69420520efde157d87e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d6dd53987f53158b15a1044042aa74c467ee52a5291d693a6b03a0c0d8dc105d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4c23b858441b8c9c87c5aa4e9c16e4c7e8bed1753e7c49d2ccf2625d8bb3c92e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101853"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101853
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101853

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cd74c158ec1eded65241499aa3e3cc61de0b7849e3772a13fa55242997acbcfa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101853, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101853" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101853 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101853 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17978, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "217f048a388dbbca038fe8046c9be00933e2e3bda690f2c20a80015784f05f91" }, { "bytes": 7737, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c6e56dbaeed8cee5d3785f2f14161ae1bfa1468a01ac1b7a1a14fbf379c88f70" }, { "bytes": 7431, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cd74c158ec1eded65241499aa3e3cc61de0b7849e3772a13fa55242997acbcfa" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101853/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101853", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-779b-8c22-cdb4244bbcef" } MKaUke/dEL0CYfZmC/Le0swCCuuvejBAfBqPOUXGbYPbqy3QDei+T60y+bDB4jVojpGpJK/cBvGhoc4qLIdrDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: MKaUke/dEL0CYfZmC/Le0swCCuuvejBAfBqPOUXGbYPbqy3QDei+T60y+bDB4jVojpGpJK/cBvGhoc4qLIdrDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17618,"name":"index.html","sha256":"14b22bd30c9efacdcb01973aad531ee0ebde232f40829ef916d1bf447dbfbf87"},{"bytes":7412,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fa7e073f82dc3db218557b9e83ff44c8ed1ec77ce1db2eb7e9fec3280935b960"},{"bytes":7119,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3847d1238461543d3f171a9307efe67ec08d6b15499cf6a11956d7a430b00e98"},{"bytes":2742,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ac99f9f2943c5c07a16d2385c1915ac49c6f8c21eb7b59fa920dd54cc99fcdb5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d2dbebd8761421d82ffb1ecc27c34adfb9f9fa22c4bf206571b884405c1231ff"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2a3bfc88748b7370fea22f4c7201da2d41a6429844639d19f691cd99afd6d117"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101854"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101854
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101854

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3847d1238461543d3f171a9307efe67ec08d6b15499cf6a11956d7a430b00e98

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101854, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101854" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101854 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101854 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17618, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "14b22bd30c9efacdcb01973aad531ee0ebde232f40829ef916d1bf447dbfbf87" }, { "bytes": 7412, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fa7e073f82dc3db218557b9e83ff44c8ed1ec77ce1db2eb7e9fec3280935b960" }, { "bytes": 7119, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3847d1238461543d3f171a9307efe67ec08d6b15499cf6a11956d7a430b00e98" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101854/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101854", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7d14-a9af-9ebdc5b46473" } 35OOQx7GkuE55xQ84X90YC5kONasvWrEkWH+0qR6vvR1R8Y/fiD4W1eU7AhhQyJXbAiTaXTGJxY6T/Ov+hp/Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 35OOQx7GkuE55xQ84X90YC5kONasvWrEkWH+0qR6vvR1R8Y/fiD4W1eU7AhhQyJXbAiTaXTGJxY6T/Ov+hp/Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":18416,"name":"index.html","sha256":"53c8b037c0a34a13b99d43079774f1254b7354cf56bdbf1b9eec5e9793c6b517"},{"bytes":8100,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2635467127274f5b1269c5e04ddefee266b7ac0fd5f87de7b4e7ace4798aa541"},{"bytes":7804,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"129082b50fc1e69b17c94d4815399ef3a8bacae4ad2d05dcf98916b0be1b4011"},{"bytes":2751,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0f7565c986bba62a1fc1b17b04e1c1340b37e61ad637d890a203a17e2b65bc41"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7646b1576ee126de2f9393843a49a5c7cbf60900af9465ed184a78d5210ae397"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a2e5392da028ae603b899c11aa9feaf817eecabb3ccc7ba70210688cfeb579fc"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101855"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101855
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101855

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
129082b50fc1e69b17c94d4815399ef3a8bacae4ad2d05dcf98916b0be1b4011

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101855, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101855" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101855 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101855 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18416, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "53c8b037c0a34a13b99d43079774f1254b7354cf56bdbf1b9eec5e9793c6b517" }, { "bytes": 8100, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2635467127274f5b1269c5e04ddefee266b7ac0fd5f87de7b4e7ace4798aa541" }, { "bytes": 7804, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "129082b50fc1e69b17c94d4815399ef3a8bacae4ad2d05dcf98916b0be1b4011" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101855/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101855", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-74d7-96de-629a22a8d06d" } qSED/8Et34IeIlMg9EN9v9oAOrDd+ci2tDLAwhVGDXtYsoglFgVcZvhiIA3CATCOgSxMX3Hl0ecPLrRDdv0cDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: qSED/8Et34IeIlMg9EN9v9oAOrDd+ci2tDLAwhVGDXtYsoglFgVcZvhiIA3CATCOgSxMX3Hl0ecPLrRDdv0cDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18167,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4dd2ca870765c8cc6dfc92644856a45a5d1f1ac8e09d8a240f8488906ce9db8d"},{"bytes":7894,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"60ba3fbadc5046d1ee0968a9e7283d5e577d63089ce71a083600d5c60b987e78"},{"bytes":7598,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"07cf8bc6b2badaa39302c73468936eff4b4710d973da91ebd0b5755c603b0f28"},{"bytes":2751,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"813d6beaa0de72824f9fb87118a7bb114928d64ad97a5d893d824bebfd95cc1c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1a2fbe0860cddae1accd4af6cadb4c664d84b647870ec7de6a83425351e887dc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0492e95476488a231ea8a5dcb277de30cfe1016ffbb568b265e9ae627f776b36"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101856"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101856
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101856

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
07cf8bc6b2badaa39302c73468936eff4b4710d973da91ebd0b5755c603b0f28

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101856, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101856" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101856 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101856 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18167, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4dd2ca870765c8cc6dfc92644856a45a5d1f1ac8e09d8a240f8488906ce9db8d" }, { "bytes": 7894, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "60ba3fbadc5046d1ee0968a9e7283d5e577d63089ce71a083600d5c60b987e78" }, { "bytes": 7598, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "07cf8bc6b2badaa39302c73468936eff4b4710d973da91ebd0b5755c603b0f28" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101856/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101856", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7a45-91d6-b9e47de646d4" } VDYA1wY9ZjrqxDbLEKKGAB7iXfJQPeUGkX1JZTT1TS18iOZOwNWFw9IQqfY+N5gaJnOTbu/teUjUZJ+g0ApOCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VDYA1wY9ZjrqxDbLEKKGAB7iXfJQPeUGkX1JZTT1TS18iOZOwNWFw9IQqfY+N5gaJnOTbu/teUjUZJ+g0ApOCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17564,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b80050e4bd37d7716b0d2e253793f7a08e0a5cc0d3ba150f51380376c1dd152d"},{"bytes":7358,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f95ca65be129c60888ed35fa7113dc2df0bbac83a3bb17153f183e2d36aa56d6"},{"bytes":7065,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"727aba4f3135328bb6b9efc46715b76be44d9ae8fa1669200fdaa770d6ae2339"},{"bytes":2742,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5f26fe19321672f9afed05de8afde697cd2955af292d7c6effc7388fc47da820"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bba996349e52b7a8d0232f0d8f9ba93303d510f595ff6e8abdf453c6defafcbe"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ec228ad430f3ef618af737f0b22ce94473ccd3ac6514bc49a6a9b57c93f19272"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101857"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101857
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101857

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
727aba4f3135328bb6b9efc46715b76be44d9ae8fa1669200fdaa770d6ae2339

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101857, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101857" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101857 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101857 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17564, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b80050e4bd37d7716b0d2e253793f7a08e0a5cc0d3ba150f51380376c1dd152d" }, { "bytes": 7358, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f95ca65be129c60888ed35fa7113dc2df0bbac83a3bb17153f183e2d36aa56d6" }, { "bytes": 7065, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "727aba4f3135328bb6b9efc46715b76be44d9ae8fa1669200fdaa770d6ae2339" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101857/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101857", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7ca9-9e3c-3bc880b82249" } I2FWQ+njuvFq0stdfHiswThP0XTjhEh5Xk5nu4Li9s+l/8hT8UNc8bUzvAWTqetpllbn2Ypko1AH3/h4E7IqDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: I2FWQ+njuvFq0stdfHiswThP0XTjhEh5Xk5nu4Li9s+l/8hT8UNc8bUzvAWTqetpllbn2Ypko1AH3/h4E7IqDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18362,"name":"index.html","sha256":"895096a4f7c89ecfc6ec9f4a720e64fe5b1e23e2d7f21e317bfc8a4c464ebec7"},{"bytes":8046,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"62fe820b932c9a4ec96e160f75dd852ffced7633f5134813175f57105fe34ffc"},{"bytes":7750,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"898d7418dc2d49eefa492f6b450ae1a138185c142fc7487c20d66f5adbe04a87"},{"bytes":2751,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ce58b54a98051864c68e904b4e4cee56fd2ec96e837527d6065f169cb6b8654e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9f4479916389e34bf64ed48023f58c3c951f3c484764f192898c7e5f8de7fa63"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7e2eb70679278cdaf6756b74f3f67d46591b22fac316cecb9f09cc618b3dd4c7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101858"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101858
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101858

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
898d7418dc2d49eefa492f6b450ae1a138185c142fc7487c20d66f5adbe04a87

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101858, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101858" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101858 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101858 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18362, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "895096a4f7c89ecfc6ec9f4a720e64fe5b1e23e2d7f21e317bfc8a4c464ebec7" }, { "bytes": 8046, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "62fe820b932c9a4ec96e160f75dd852ffced7633f5134813175f57105fe34ffc" }, { "bytes": 7750, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "898d7418dc2d49eefa492f6b450ae1a138185c142fc7487c20d66f5adbe04a87" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101858/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101858", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-710b-88e4-8455188ea66c" } kwR35ZhlcGPh8kx+eqdJHC5zE3klU0WHd7yKw6n/Qc09Oa/7xPTeAmATWCJhsjBUdx7Bl6Fs+OZAnz4eaEjiCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: kwR35ZhlcGPh8kx+eqdJHC5zE3klU0WHd7yKw6n/Qc09Oa/7xPTeAmATWCJhsjBUdx7Bl6Fs+OZAnz4eaEjiCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18113,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b658c766b96223194609669bd073a91c5a70085a85893bd2567f64b9332566e0"},{"bytes":7840,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ad1356e7bc32939cbcab3ce8ced6b1b6a94c041d94549fe6f85cfbb40226c0e9"},{"bytes":7544,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"510c8dbbc48b9ecf9d02e70f1ed64b7761204940ecadd9ffb818b5603a2088fd"},{"bytes":2751,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4a3f8d7393dbeff7aaad7937ef1d445eb4e80a9b07181e758153389ed684858e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f380ebf10f12ec799008c4a88b535b9dd8610fd23637e13be93152a0f90a0c07"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ddd4d264e47ee7681bca4cb12411edd256a537cec18b79a98748c3e6875e2fee"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101859"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101859
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101859

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
510c8dbbc48b9ecf9d02e70f1ed64b7761204940ecadd9ffb818b5603a2088fd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101859, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101859.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101859" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101859" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101859 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101859 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101859 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101859 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101860

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
50bdae2951f67594098ff53a68b7efc90b75e712463982e4ec96d7f931790597

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101860, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101860.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101860" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101860" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101860 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101860 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101860 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101860 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101861

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
51b2c3de1137b87b68de5f664cf002e7acc70bf6cba5bdb8c100b7995dd4e14f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101861, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101861.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101861" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101861" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101861 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101861 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101861 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101861 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101862

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3c3b4fe4f8e5dcc56cd989b823a925af946a12283cc6f1a5e8a7b620374175ac

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101862, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101862.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101862" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101862" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101862 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101862 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101862 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101862 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101863

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5f4509ec96b5e4be88b5d9fb146cd4fede72f0bba385d1b7527c3f182850db50

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101863, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101863" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101863 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101863 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17318, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5433cbc366ea1e7abbd47fb1b37cfff91d04a027c11c8d7a1ebfd006656e7ca4" }, { "bytes": 7160, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "036513259d9fb42b51e478401bdecfe85a5838a2a533f589c51d51aa35ec7ca7" }, { "bytes": 6865, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5f4509ec96b5e4be88b5d9fb146cd4fede72f0bba385d1b7527c3f182850db50" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101863/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101863", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7eca-bb82-3d46cb66203a" } 2Iaiz6b454+UXO0syiXPUW+V/no0kvBwpUIcPqrbZTtY0k/IAHUtxjrFXCJAqTTv1BdBGOZnaulZmV26L47rAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 2Iaiz6b454+UXO0syiXPUW+V/no0kvBwpUIcPqrbZTtY0k/IAHUtxjrFXCJAqTTv1BdBGOZnaulZmV26L47rAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18116,"name":"index.html","sha256":"857829741d1aa5769283c2941311ee4baa8b0a991b593bc6f6803f044c558581"},{"bytes":7848,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"02b733ef820ca9d9ca3248c451cd8ee0eff5d305f38781a8e48f68142cdfeb6b"},{"bytes":7550,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e6051861775b8f3860eb23771445422404d442237f05ae3cdebaadddbd1f68ea"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7e6248d6d099aff10159b956df31b1c9ed24bea275030ee811156404207340ae"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d7531e489c66a51595b4785ca45ca01dbb35140155cb3bab074f0c5adeafa2d3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"91ba353d6c70b157f640d3a092672912489462eb754cf61789a9ab8ca6136730"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101864"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101864
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101864

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e6051861775b8f3860eb23771445422404d442237f05ae3cdebaadddbd1f68ea

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101864, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101864" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101864 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101864 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18116, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "857829741d1aa5769283c2941311ee4baa8b0a991b593bc6f6803f044c558581" }, { "bytes": 7848, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "02b733ef820ca9d9ca3248c451cd8ee0eff5d305f38781a8e48f68142cdfeb6b" }, { "bytes": 7550, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e6051861775b8f3860eb23771445422404d442237f05ae3cdebaadddbd1f68ea" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101864/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101864", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7227-8a63-93fecec5106d" } DfMaOyaLOlaEj+suiZYTBHArXvJyRnvEunvMkwkdWRYP4jk3OSefZKz+xcvAlv3tD5tqktfkEIlGo5O1/cnhAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: DfMaOyaLOlaEj+suiZYTBHArXvJyRnvEunvMkwkdWRYP4jk3OSefZKz+xcvAlv3tD5tqktfkEIlGo5O1/cnhAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17867,"name":"index.html","sha256":"00757d9de054e179c2f2c483c75d896f7fb7055121aa9cf297a1a2d0b7d24c26"},{"bytes":7642,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d7e43327be688e58711db0dcf909e39cc6f86e9e618ad6cd313841b7767c094a"},{"bytes":7344,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"879ce7aeec8d5c4b56af649ed2377dbe1ca21ee00d6098730cc0e66dc6472df2"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c6af6bc44a88e9783d3d4f46bf89681e2c84e9d55961b20f22206d2385dd5ec9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"249518ea6d6ecd55f834298f1cb7d7a9900f0301dcb05d48f6cec636696a72f2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d5e24f5c6924e8bd5baa14ad91872fb8b687427ec617e0e44c19239e577fb207"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101865"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101865
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101865

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
879ce7aeec8d5c4b56af649ed2377dbe1ca21ee00d6098730cc0e66dc6472df2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101865, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101865" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101865 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101865 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17867, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "00757d9de054e179c2f2c483c75d896f7fb7055121aa9cf297a1a2d0b7d24c26" }, { "bytes": 7642, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d7e43327be688e58711db0dcf909e39cc6f86e9e618ad6cd313841b7767c094a" }, { "bytes": 7344, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "879ce7aeec8d5c4b56af649ed2377dbe1ca21ee00d6098730cc0e66dc6472df2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101865/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101865", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7532-a349-1a5625911409" } rTJUXaubM0QwJivplLKHD3S61o8ZW1ga/Hf6kIwFF3qG8nZ6EbBjjXaRMdPUcYAZ3nxgZg0fbk6XoGOkUMY/CQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: rTJUXaubM0QwJivplLKHD3S61o8ZW1ga/Hf6kIwFF3qG8nZ6EbBjjXaRMdPUcYAZ3nxgZg0fbk6XoGOkUMY/CQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17331,"name":"index.html","sha256":"acdbae73e217111e68941bd3706c31364f3898e380efef381eeea3b7a50279cb"},{"bytes":7230,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ae126420702a1b8693a70b77d0669dc1d8279c8988fb9604ae211c7f10e64b99"},{"bytes":6903,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4610d2b70a139bd43a28fd3ae0f3abe090e96b52dbf11b62d834eb9011719765"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8a29f4bedc747a82593b397de09398d4fe6ee8573f2ccf69dc6011c19651801f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fdfb391901cc27f30288c689328003667a996a94a8087d78496c05fa6c8e41c8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"783b7ae9d8a36025556d2e6cec0811bbaf458c9ccba3dd615a877b4aec87c529"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101866"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101866
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101866

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4610d2b70a139bd43a28fd3ae0f3abe090e96b52dbf11b62d834eb9011719765

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101866, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101866.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101866" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101866" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101866 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101866 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101866 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101866 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101867

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
f3d554f1b3728d7c274598477bca4ed7234ad2bac28a47bee3f49b2455ff94f6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101867, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101867" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101867 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101867 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1098 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18123, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b50542bb3c8629d3e89d3371d5454d209ab6a1de31ba12abc8a20eb4c94c2a8b" }, { "bytes": 7912, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "22add608f7b3757ed6ab9f8ab40f254356f6250aca721e1e895b89cb68435d89" }, { "bytes": 7582, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f3d554f1b3728d7c274598477bca4ed7234ad2bac28a47bee3f49b2455ff94f6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101867/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101867", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7771-9b29-e9eb7859b10c" } LaULLNgCApHVoYEABk9Sa0xXXwbF9kdBRje5S0LvVxuz/bspfQsXIFV+xIafDma1b9rDshnNzO2z56BfM9p3Cw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LaULLNgCApHVoYEABk9Sa0xXXwbF9kdBRje5S0LvVxuz/bspfQsXIFV+xIafDma1b9rDshnNzO2z56BfM9p3Cw== {"files":[{"bytes":17874,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bad3a394342208f21c28284240e6ae551bf34c8f5ac9296f3b7837ea31be1a07"},{"bytes":7706,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7f11261f5b9761c34f1f5d0121a35c47275e6e8db26a4dd5744f631af2d87a40"},{"bytes":7376,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0406959ba2e71ecdbb3c1e5bfa0162f2feb7b916128b4068c4c7fcb745aac040"},{"bytes":2828,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3467756235e9f14b8728a32c2f1cbec03a2038bd56ca8bdd61cec1fef480c2ab"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"81bd100e151df3182ed8a1c5945d6de437c2b641713d9b6a95a48012f01120ea"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3e62499114790eefeeb49013e3c09d9de7dd598a917b69f3208a0580d9f66b03"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101868"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101868
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101868

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0406959ba2e71ecdbb3c1e5bfa0162f2feb7b916128b4068c4c7fcb745aac040

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101868, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101868.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101868" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101868" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101868 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101868 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101868 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101868 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101869

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e50eb5a77c53bbceb3080d7ef3c9de99013c8390272498fd244805a37ece6477

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101869, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101869" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101869 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101869 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 993 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17332, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b264c6c25fdf33a9bdafc40d29006ba0e9936c4ab086f407ed3c2dd527483241" }, { "bytes": 7231, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "dd67e9565d5b33dfaa18bbba9853b60dd71632b4e344a70ce12ac77c9ac168ee" }, { "bytes": 6904, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e50eb5a77c53bbceb3080d7ef3c9de99013c8390272498fd244805a37ece6477" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101869/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101869", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7c11-8c43-e09218bb3877" } +fVPAcvib60EnlWClFEU4eWy9V37C3pbY2eaXOdgFN7bCBouGmQJ61/XIFUz0yDce/Qc2Yyw9YcazIw3VwOJBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +fVPAcvib60EnlWClFEU4eWy9V37C3pbY2eaXOdgFN7bCBouGmQJ61/XIFUz0yDce/Qc2Yyw9YcazIw3VwOJBw== {"files":[{"bytes":18124,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7bc42b7d25caf8201c9f73c3e5505cc5ecd1b2cb00c45664613a5b8bdefba6d7"},{"bytes":7913,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"22dde8c926faeb95d8c7cb1075d88b32d05a924101d2e40c924a2be50ec667b5"},{"bytes":7583,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"389defeae2205d65c8f0a1f4993cc89add35bda0cef20def22e35d666004e3aa"},{"bytes":2828,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"980595b6fe6fe044e63414ae1b247f72561c69ec174cfdb1ad6449518114a8e0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f6d8d4b5edb6e96f3b305336870c454f616409e01671c6c6f8167f47f047c8f4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1f85fd6657dc7c7065dc34de06ceca5bfeda827c85f1e5008e9fd195c0e84b00"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101870"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101870
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101870

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
389defeae2205d65c8f0a1f4993cc89add35bda0cef20def22e35d666004e3aa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101870, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101870" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101870 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101870 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1098 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18124, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7bc42b7d25caf8201c9f73c3e5505cc5ecd1b2cb00c45664613a5b8bdefba6d7" }, { "bytes": 7913, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "22dde8c926faeb95d8c7cb1075d88b32d05a924101d2e40c924a2be50ec667b5" }, { "bytes": 7583, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "389defeae2205d65c8f0a1f4993cc89add35bda0cef20def22e35d666004e3aa" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101870/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101870", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7774-bef0-a6a2e24c5aaa" } zwkT9UDSny5BvOKE7RW7AMbdG5fGzEqNs3zCEWLi1tuSu8vz78SFoUAjj9i97QKinZyzdVDZy//QcqBRwxJLCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zwkT9UDSny5BvOKE7RW7AMbdG5fGzEqNs3zCEWLi1tuSu8vz78SFoUAjj9i97QKinZyzdVDZy//QcqBRwxJLCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17875,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e81cacd1adb2787548e8b47520d6653142e3b9c0973966a36535114390d723ec"},{"bytes":7707,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"38d86784b13f7f795ac1f812cd1848fb8c249e1394e5be23bd13aeeeb1a551d6"},{"bytes":7377,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fdfa6d0f06d498b0281ca3ceb60e84b23b6ad5bd184e9f562358fbbfd473b0dc"},{"bytes":2828,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c5f6eb2ae18f92f22e5fa2cdfddb7bcdadcf5232ce5efe434501fc9a12cf67c3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"198fa2dada62415022fcedb8086ddb1e0e58bbebdc7d4b99fd76470bbb56b2e0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"673905ecc6e68653d3e9078845b9de2757e0d1a0e5ae23b3f63e881debf72c7f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101871"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101871
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101871

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
fdfa6d0f06d498b0281ca3ceb60e84b23b6ad5bd184e9f562358fbbfd473b0dc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101871, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101871" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101871 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101871 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1064 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17875, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e81cacd1adb2787548e8b47520d6653142e3b9c0973966a36535114390d723ec" }, { "bytes": 7707, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "38d86784b13f7f795ac1f812cd1848fb8c249e1394e5be23bd13aeeeb1a551d6" }, { "bytes": 7377, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fdfa6d0f06d498b0281ca3ceb60e84b23b6ad5bd184e9f562358fbbfd473b0dc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101871/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101871", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7cfa-ac0e-5494ad4914a7" } tewpoqMBc7Xz8J2z481rb5bHJyDtw4lA4StvTUENSqrSw6N65V031R5ykwQOQqShjjQJUu/R5xFGIbJaTrnzBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tewpoqMBc7Xz8J2z481rb5bHJyDtw4lA4StvTUENSqrSw6N65V031R5ykwQOQqShjjQJUu/R5xFGIbJaTrnzBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17336,"name":"index.html","sha256":"31bf3375fadeede1388e1a209291007e889bbc2a68a7673527c87b49b07d0a04"},{"bytes":7235,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ad8d99d249a0726c3ff7a833fa852545691fd3f52955b1f0cb6914833baa8119"},{"bytes":6908,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"71c737d3342c7c588bc1c1e2af0f4208eab5d8c44afb2d2fdd36e0801b009189"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9c8fc4886823ef96b43289ca0f7dd635ae2c4c16429ae9c2f9cbc8feed1463e6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ca372b8b4fa26459f1acc401e6306dad100d4d026f84995f5835da663fffb503"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d499404a6c611a3335dad424c0d383d01ed6fd81db5681e18f1e90b6f0b194d4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101872"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101872
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101872

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
71c737d3342c7c588bc1c1e2af0f4208eab5d8c44afb2d2fdd36e0801b009189

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101872, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101872.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101872" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101872" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101872 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101872 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101872 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101872 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101873

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
b27dc96b562de659d451c7ead63b2e14791aa056bf6739834d1f7b7425d48666

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101873, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101873.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101873" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101873" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101873 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101873 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101873 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101873 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101874

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
deed162f4bd31d22bb101d4cbe84e62c412caee0a123d22604bfa55d634380c6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101874, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101874.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101874" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101874" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101874 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101874 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101874 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101874 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101875

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
658d4a083574b778d7c4a576763b8feaf53af10c5afcad44b98a45c47a2dbeed

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101875, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101875" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101875 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101875 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17525, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bee7ae70da36fae8d434d539676159c00675cb7fec542c83db21bb5916acfffa" }, { "bytes": 7392, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "727d487d34e28e6f85e4f88e020480c5366ef7839b1e934959326497de32e5e1" }, { "bytes": 7075, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "658d4a083574b778d7c4a576763b8feaf53af10c5afcad44b98a45c47a2dbeed" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101875/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101875", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-75c9-bdef-1d2351f18acd" } c258sz9AW2wEDd8aZy0275nwsZNMCG5Jf68En71tfblc2ogFBT+upgAhhiXVfQMJKgVEorlMLZLE0KjLCJiTCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: c258sz9AW2wEDd8aZy0275nwsZNMCG5Jf68En71tfblc2ogFBT+upgAhhiXVfQMJKgVEorlMLZLE0KjLCJiTCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18317,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a26c76c850e206cc74db4180fe25378ca78bd80ff23f5941ec3df39fac095347"},{"bytes":8074,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"85b71e172e0402c9bb0e548f780e612676f40f5fe20520c52b01320b9fa8a308"},{"bytes":7754,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"acca43fe53438a2095e3e7f0dea117afaf38da6fb59bcec0a010502d70f504f6"},{"bytes":2807,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4806fffcb0f5da9a6d29eea67445f4defff39f89da2f894d53a143eb8d4190bd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"49df9f93fbb0b2d2f5d71943e5b8edea4a18f351e190ba90b3bbf46810936539"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f5ef929b6bb33676f7c264271dd793b8165fc7db89544589b89f40a05349c96d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101876"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101876
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101876

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
acca43fe53438a2095e3e7f0dea117afaf38da6fb59bcec0a010502d70f504f6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101876, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101876" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101876 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101876 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18317, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a26c76c850e206cc74db4180fe25378ca78bd80ff23f5941ec3df39fac095347" }, { "bytes": 8074, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "85b71e172e0402c9bb0e548f780e612676f40f5fe20520c52b01320b9fa8a308" }, { "bytes": 7754, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "acca43fe53438a2095e3e7f0dea117afaf38da6fb59bcec0a010502d70f504f6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101876/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101876", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7718-8dbb-499442bed13a" } llZUSZfva5v11Z/LJPZwzeGS+JrMZ61YXcGRPxs/wWvupm/iosSjn3IofUfEbM5kIN6w87jMv5UYathgKrrCDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: llZUSZfva5v11Z/LJPZwzeGS+JrMZ61YXcGRPxs/wWvupm/iosSjn3IofUfEbM5kIN6w87jMv5UYathgKrrCDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18068,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f4f1b28f2e09602282ecab7eeee5177f4e7eeb49c26ea0f9b4b20577a409a26d"},{"bytes":7868,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ab7ce43af8597fd673b7293ff52a358b01c80e8b17b5f64e12ebc6011eaa4778"},{"bytes":7548,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"22bf58b58cddbe1e17c1dd4cf704609ceb65729e1c60d21e8e53f7815cb16a42"},{"bytes":2807,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b9a7bf955fefa9f7b930aff8f7e26a96d68f9fd462e02b9d5a2f93e51005c3e2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"89f8c930e03aad40e9a2a1036e664d696127db36fef4d49d39a86844f2ca2dab"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c33fc536fa98a8995ed907c83dc254becda42338f9bc470b214a2265dc277486"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101877"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101877
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101877

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
22bf58b58cddbe1e17c1dd4cf704609ceb65729e1c60d21e8e53f7815cb16a42

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101877, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101877" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101877 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101877 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1104 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18068, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f4f1b28f2e09602282ecab7eeee5177f4e7eeb49c26ea0f9b4b20577a409a26d" }, { "bytes": 7868, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ab7ce43af8597fd673b7293ff52a358b01c80e8b17b5f64e12ebc6011eaa4778" }, { "bytes": 7548, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "22bf58b58cddbe1e17c1dd4cf704609ceb65729e1c60d21e8e53f7815cb16a42" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101877/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101877", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-78fc-8b6d-7d5170897247" } 6XMPPsqhQB5c0E4Ne7n9W4JzRPEPzWfn3vash/KHrf8/8PBNzz6PcgVYnsB2o4ZEvdHk8x117TD7YhBnOxgcDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6XMPPsqhQB5c0E4Ne7n9W4JzRPEPzWfn3vash/KHrf8/8PBNzz6PcgVYnsB2o4ZEvdHk8x117TD7YhBnOxgcDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17471,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a8636f3d9acdb61a2dc4fc96be82abed1fd57aa126ac4862d152602bed7d23e3"},{"bytes":7338,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5f1ffb309d963946da914f9f9341678cb93ae27259d88ab177a52c25678044df"},{"bytes":7021,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"85d4cd939f545db876a79bcd1a28c202800f6a6fdfcac5b6ed55e74c1e0756ef"},{"bytes":2798,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4ad22ed1a9c05dd1b2ac1b4b7c9eb2b6600dc9865879a83b4f4cb6645c665976"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1307d67870e9f70bd104a16bfaeb4fc45e3e649930955c6912c00bbd7f7c028a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ee62ac1e9339fa2cb92a3ddfa10ea4d8d81223404809b4dff073f691098ca00a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101878"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101878
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101878

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
85d4cd939f545db876a79bcd1a28c202800f6a6fdfcac5b6ed55e74c1e0756ef

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101878, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101878" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101878 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101878 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1018 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17471, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a8636f3d9acdb61a2dc4fc96be82abed1fd57aa126ac4862d152602bed7d23e3" }, { "bytes": 7338, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5f1ffb309d963946da914f9f9341678cb93ae27259d88ab177a52c25678044df" }, { "bytes": 7021, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "85d4cd939f545db876a79bcd1a28c202800f6a6fdfcac5b6ed55e74c1e0756ef" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101878/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101878", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-728b-8e41-f79bd47926ee" } j0t5jhPlgoO1Bc8VrwmhLiYd4mVWNkpJ18vqp97v6rmimA+AZzq9GuK+QA8tOCspie56Hp2ZkBtFnNs9oTnXCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: j0t5jhPlgoO1Bc8VrwmhLiYd4mVWNkpJ18vqp97v6rmimA+AZzq9GuK+QA8tOCspie56Hp2ZkBtFnNs9oTnXCA== {"files":[{"bytes":18263,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8d1152c9ab1f62f08d068eafcaae563d771965032a791e6db20a0081b66d0cd1"},{"bytes":8020,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4afe302fab8af45312c87138177e5f5a4c40f316b5f34c3bb3db4efb89a3138c"},{"bytes":7700,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6960f847e2cf31926c9ff881a901b4b00d02ff7422d38906bcad1e589cfa8ae6"},{"bytes":2807,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"552c5a71b63579c3e8b2e11770eaea4acfa834982a19b6b4cb32f2d4e8d70b71"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1c7de2022d4eda4b5259ab377db837cf00b62fa1bc9257fed069b70fdc0014ac"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a93482a378922f1c99ba0ed3ced0fd05a22265e02c8e6edc917d7879a6abc7ee"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101879"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101879
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101879

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
6960f847e2cf31926c9ff881a901b4b00d02ff7422d38906bcad1e589cfa8ae6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101879, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101879" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101879 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101879 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1123 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18263, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8d1152c9ab1f62f08d068eafcaae563d771965032a791e6db20a0081b66d0cd1" }, { "bytes": 8020, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4afe302fab8af45312c87138177e5f5a4c40f316b5f34c3bb3db4efb89a3138c" }, { "bytes": 7700, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6960f847e2cf31926c9ff881a901b4b00d02ff7422d38906bcad1e589cfa8ae6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101879/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101879", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-78ee-a47e-f4d47c8aac84" } jK/Cv4x11fWZJKXsHjnHMOgTZ06Klj69e+QbNChr36PiUprP/0wSiIt4wngTS0fJwK7zHjrsBmUf5P3XRFzgCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: jK/Cv4x11fWZJKXsHjnHMOgTZ06Klj69e+QbNChr36PiUprP/0wSiIt4wngTS0fJwK7zHjrsBmUf5P3XRFzgCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18014,"name":"index.html","sha256":"16a35ad4c73910a24035aba60ac982e8368cbddb7a5a1958e4e857c6825303f6"},{"bytes":7814,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c0e2a33f7be7cd8cc57d648ee48c3200304fb3fa65fcaee94e47cd7485833d52"},{"bytes":7494,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"61779d59be4cbb482d6df99f8e983615e6617491e3e00f709faef0160f697299"},{"bytes":2807,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b5061edbe4e809eb54fb11cbefcfdf7510fa7278f1a75c1d6364e82239e7fad0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"01069ba8c910fdccbf1e95dd461336cf2ce12bdefd05a7f2b1abd5a6b672873e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4387810e6bdb2af718829be39cc23ef5c9d7dc5059ec128d48b10885e6b5f182"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101880"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101880
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101880

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
61779d59be4cbb482d6df99f8e983615e6617491e3e00f709faef0160f697299

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101880, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101880" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101880 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101880 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1089 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18014, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "16a35ad4c73910a24035aba60ac982e8368cbddb7a5a1958e4e857c6825303f6" }, { "bytes": 7814, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c0e2a33f7be7cd8cc57d648ee48c3200304fb3fa65fcaee94e47cd7485833d52" }, { "bytes": 7494, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "61779d59be4cbb482d6df99f8e983615e6617491e3e00f709faef0160f697299" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101880/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101880", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-79cc-92ba-f9cb42cf4e17" } 227EvKYTRG5A/kLYbTGQ6KhoCYgLm1NqFJlu0LfAqlPWDdI41Mq6nhlofJMXe0haJvh75mlbbzajUsUsAhWVCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 227EvKYTRG5A/kLYbTGQ6KhoCYgLm1NqFJlu0LfAqlPWDdI41Mq6nhlofJMXe0haJvh75mlbbzajUsUsAhWVCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17225,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c0821ee7b24b0d2cf94575ac36058753ecf61e7f3de3ac3772c5a62a417e6486"},{"bytes":7140,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f20948d05df7aa359ea65df06e18ca90cab0aa545f03186c4877fc808e605de4"},{"bytes":6821,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1829746eddcc749376670b5c8fea02307861341a8cb175ebf8bf809509ddaf7b"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"88532cf4830d4a51b49fdf3cec955c90d789a2e62cdc426401f4eaaf45748b6e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7a2e0110ecfca6ca4c7a7e5d6579331bba86463dc202447b92e503b669122aa7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"86ea676e78603488a774d8dbf5f0051daeeedf5f788a74b17178582410e18025"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101881"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101881
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101881

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
1829746eddcc749376670b5c8fea02307861341a8cb175ebf8bf809509ddaf7b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101881, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101881.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101881" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101881" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101881 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101881 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101881 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101881 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101882

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0a491d93b2680d2db981eddd46a01fc729f1b5f2717d0979bd4c3378f1a19e3b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101882, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101882.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101882" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101882" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101882 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101882 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101882 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101882 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101883

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
6f18df18954cce899a0925df336c9e4562cc224f4c3298beade2465c802c9de8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101883, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101883" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101883 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101883 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17768, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "17a506a2e4ad56980f603f0407fee8b7878b49ba2de782b9cf1f1afb175c0609" }, { "bytes": 7616, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "558be3dd03e3df9b4e1b092605ad5f73ae9c8b23e9bab29d7dfd050c5a59c1f9" }, { "bytes": 7294, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6f18df18954cce899a0925df336c9e4562cc224f4c3298beade2465c802c9de8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101883/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101883", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-714e-86ee-7f65448de138" } EDBtMxOMJm5EbEcZMq0hShhpImMBv0lNIIjEfKA7T8fU6tdR5BzuQ3+c0IJSmN7IDPpnfH0NFueNLY7iU7DDDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: EDBtMxOMJm5EbEcZMq0hShhpImMBv0lNIIjEfKA7T8fU6tdR5BzuQ3+c0IJSmN7IDPpnfH0NFueNLY7iU7DDDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17225,"name":"index.html","sha256":"075c43347bdbbe1927345105bea0e006fb38172b7d1c36db705e42e1fd468511"},{"bytes":7140,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"30d829cad63a53ceda5f7cb0c88464af786c87214bdbbaf25decfd5491f4d470"},{"bytes":6821,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bbcc8d74dc2adb94289cbfcc5546a324bf4b66c5443d1feff0ed9bc99470bb99"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c70c01abfc4a64e2c32e02630c501b46d48ece266d45aac53119c40f74120c2b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"66cede5b593ac00f48457ce61aa0328664b0ddcf80ec5906e93e6382e77aa619"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c3cefbc108ad06b63dbf31a7ba4985558371a0ac5c9b7a39a8616c50d315ce16"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101884"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101884
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101884

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
bbcc8d74dc2adb94289cbfcc5546a324bf4b66c5443d1feff0ed9bc99470bb99

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101884, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101884" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101884 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101884 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 981 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17225, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "075c43347bdbbe1927345105bea0e006fb38172b7d1c36db705e42e1fd468511" }, { "bytes": 7140, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "30d829cad63a53ceda5f7cb0c88464af786c87214bdbbaf25decfd5491f4d470" }, { "bytes": 6821, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bbcc8d74dc2adb94289cbfcc5546a324bf4b66c5443d1feff0ed9bc99470bb99" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101884/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101884", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7863-a51a-33cb102fcfc5" } k49kdmO121ChEituZOUE8bDPOPc/DiNXSyN+x7oo9PTiH+Ji0rkDdfCb9HPUEEXlDzJe5F8FflaN9tG5har+Dg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: k49kdmO121ChEituZOUE8bDPOPc/DiNXSyN+x7oo9PTiH+Ji0rkDdfCb9HPUEEXlDzJe5F8FflaN9tG5har+Dg== {"files":[{"bytes":18017,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e5e826f3d684b27b345bfdce043e2cf58572ab94c72507aafb9548d3f7724558"},{"bytes":7822,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0408d01bc15da452cca41a1548175eda15efe62fe238259820e1200af5518205"},{"bytes":7500,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e61b18f0d4660e0d53b1786da3edde2af062c3da0508b4d2fe8f419b538b5da4"},{"bytes":2820,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"61e3cc1e641199cb188a16cc0763095cfa444f140e7700d6eba68af143aa40af"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a8d935aeb1315f6c2d3c92fa05b95c6f758243829a0513618c57bff553f16dfa"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"dc05451497c3428e6c7c8729b47dad46756eb08adbe54ebc657101a7e6fce6a6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101885"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101885
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101885

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
e61b18f0d4660e0d53b1786da3edde2af062c3da0508b4d2fe8f419b538b5da4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101885, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101885" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101885 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101885 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1086 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18017, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e5e826f3d684b27b345bfdce043e2cf58572ab94c72507aafb9548d3f7724558" }, { "bytes": 7822, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0408d01bc15da452cca41a1548175eda15efe62fe238259820e1200af5518205" }, { "bytes": 7500, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e61b18f0d4660e0d53b1786da3edde2af062c3da0508b4d2fe8f419b538b5da4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101885/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101885", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7705-bfdb-d21d47aa1854" } /6cfj/3liu08C+A58WgZVyaSyeVZxurVJ0OOduVI8Mzj0KbKIAtpXkOalwQlhT+BvRJ96YWIIJUzH1A8uJP/Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: /6cfj/3liu08C+A58WgZVyaSyeVZxurVJ0OOduVI8Mzj0KbKIAtpXkOalwQlhT+BvRJ96YWIIJUzH1A8uJP/Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":17768,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d30e7234c22f24b06a1a0aec85934f9ce09ac2eb016de05f5c3d9767099fb99b"},{"bytes":7616,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ab1d51c837df4c84c99c36d972b61de8f6e5ee8a9f9eb8cebd14c7d7e1581409"},{"bytes":7294,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d84ee124fac59b49e4184492d6f5ae4ea751819a17903395b79dd45e492150a2"},{"bytes":2820,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d06942536884ee0d7d4d826e85a78b26d5c98fc6d8d916c87310bbba03584353"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b06a511daafef18424db9bf59e81b24b5989bbb749f5e0ecfe62ef5142f17c08"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"705159bd3abc99de89527caa0a302e4cd3fe99df79f937c169b97b749aeaf156"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101886"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101886
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101886

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
d84ee124fac59b49e4184492d6f5ae4ea751819a17903395b79dd45e492150a2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101886, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101886" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101886 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101886 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17768, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d30e7234c22f24b06a1a0aec85934f9ce09ac2eb016de05f5c3d9767099fb99b" }, { "bytes": 7616, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ab1d51c837df4c84c99c36d972b61de8f6e5ee8a9f9eb8cebd14c7d7e1581409" }, { "bytes": 7294, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d84ee124fac59b49e4184492d6f5ae4ea751819a17903395b79dd45e492150a2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101886/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101886", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7837-bbf2-e35b10612a8a" } kN/gEaf1QzqPPCtpt3Qko1hqW25OffQ2IU12LTBKXaOgT4/CxLmjOmyj3AIK/nmmCgwBxlriyEkb8lGaXMx+DA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: kN/gEaf1QzqPPCtpt3Qko1hqW25OffQ2IU12LTBKXaOgT4/CxLmjOmyj3AIK/nmmCgwBxlriyEkb8lGaXMx+DA== {"files":[{"bytes":17288,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9b17bbc74af04eb783cafb7e2b0b7fb808509034847ab047cc3a75b52fec37af"},{"bytes":7143,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"86312f934b87192c4decc06a321f00291082c2c95acc1f101d66988231f5a431"},{"bytes":6844,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"30d84132367e5548e0b0296a9fe357e0e63e7b8e900f74e08c099a73eb459a6e"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4164947f470ff35cd2a57912931c5e0e36e4c7f1210fd281e7c60dd0cd192f98"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"efd175f17777181b3b27572b8a8da1f9960e885f47ceddc1bfe769586139c096"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"29c95f19ef5daecd63552d8d44f775a664b3cba5bc038b3cfaa136816ad1f39f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101887"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101887
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101887

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
30d84132367e5548e0b0296a9fe357e0e63e7b8e900f74e08c099a73eb459a6e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101887, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101887.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101887" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101887" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101887 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101887 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101887 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101887 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101888

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
17999e22a35058ea4075ad9d669ff8839456e3447a9bd7f30383c8fbd70d8c73

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101888, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101888" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101888 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101888 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18086, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "325a9b992a37e37adcd7d1c54a26af5bd1811b3502960ef78aada483ba6e1d58" }, { "bytes": 7831, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3ecbd7d0bde441dea29ce91726df37da04af8719060cf7d313e70e8bf0c646a0" }, { "bytes": 7529, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "17999e22a35058ea4075ad9d669ff8839456e3447a9bd7f30383c8fbd70d8c73" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101888/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101888", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7161-a004-3d050027e03e" } OWIrFa5aprgfMgN44qaSLejzqjid9akDGBzNkC76c6PlrK+jbRlEst4jkl1KwbnyfqKfBus7Dd27M8Te3f17BQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: OWIrFa5aprgfMgN44qaSLejzqjid9akDGBzNkC76c6PlrK+jbRlEst4jkl1KwbnyfqKfBus7Dd27M8Te3f17BQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17837,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a5a453944ae3185e7ae6e1363cb8b801d2c4c9fd740ddd4b0ade81b4befcdbc1"},{"bytes":7625,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"cfa53a5ba24feac510bb46346c060ebea095e9d09e569faf3ecf57069dbd23d1"},{"bytes":7323,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6f119fa0f70bdf5b2f08a343c47b10631f25c4d3760cc7328eb07879765a3864"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8a2459bc60b1f40b1c3f8124b3dbee1833eb011dc29af99c9240ecc203ad3411"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"634b0e8d66ac4bd7670e6156155c28e914335b269bf1363806f70d49a264ed6a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c6ff46cc440fec407098f261589f6dcfbb19959da83287ec3f0678b22f6efbdf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101889"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101889
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101889

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6f119fa0f70bdf5b2f08a343c47b10631f25c4d3760cc7328eb07879765a3864

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101889, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101889" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101889 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101889 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17837, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a5a453944ae3185e7ae6e1363cb8b801d2c4c9fd740ddd4b0ade81b4befcdbc1" }, { "bytes": 7625, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cfa53a5ba24feac510bb46346c060ebea095e9d09e569faf3ecf57069dbd23d1" }, { "bytes": 7323, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6f119fa0f70bdf5b2f08a343c47b10631f25c4d3760cc7328eb07879765a3864" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101889/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101889", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7089-ba81-0c8ff410b94c" } E2HB8felG+WYE3uJEbMD8xX8LRGHvAMSEpAWEaoX4d9RVffGuNaZ/Eu6ilzN9m5xT8WotBHHAlNgeAc+T/1MCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: E2HB8felG+WYE3uJEbMD8xX8LRGHvAMSEpAWEaoX4d9RVffGuNaZ/Eu6ilzN9m5xT8WotBHHAlNgeAc+T/1MCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17289,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7c4b54a754e09a1b366e7dbc5f892e6fdb6fd14f0a19b5eea05d27e688002542"},{"bytes":7144,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2d1b64d2868b6c61337b2b947b9345fbf67309098bac8ecb899bb70e1d95a9de"},{"bytes":6845,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a513bfb13603b0b68bfb2e1ae94c62abe2eb60e00346e30250d3f841809307cb"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6b7e47486d73e9878d78c3e51b93d1969b5e09667be593f7941d0c3c976dfcd7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5f75848537cc76376a8ed47d0b49237cd7f2f9f66ff40d9bd9f2e85bcf043971"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"05883e87d47bca6e66d20fea6e5a338bfe4e23a2b3bc1209a0eb305436f35e29"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101890"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101890
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101890

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a513bfb13603b0b68bfb2e1ae94c62abe2eb60e00346e30250d3f841809307cb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101890, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101890" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101890 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101890 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 992 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17289, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7c4b54a754e09a1b366e7dbc5f892e6fdb6fd14f0a19b5eea05d27e688002542" }, { "bytes": 7144, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2d1b64d2868b6c61337b2b947b9345fbf67309098bac8ecb899bb70e1d95a9de" }, { "bytes": 6845, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a513bfb13603b0b68bfb2e1ae94c62abe2eb60e00346e30250d3f841809307cb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101890/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101890", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-765b-b24c-e05df5c78d77" } 7QX1vPUJXssjP7hEaXDPsSSrJBMp7Sbbw15/Q9HVLPdjSOPsDiA+s438UjjxZYAmeVCLBewHcjSftfWo7SipDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 7QX1vPUJXssjP7hEaXDPsSSrJBMp7Sbbw15/Q9HVLPdjSOPsDiA+s438UjjxZYAmeVCLBewHcjSftfWo7SipDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18087,"name":"index.html","sha256":"351a12e7bbbcc1f15640e4bf93bbfd654923eb0fc05687a3df1a13d975e3ff77"},{"bytes":7832,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f8d6d8500a4cfe78e6991d5003cbc3413aeaf0d254dbca501aed1a788e21694a"},{"bytes":7530,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c6f269c4bdd9261c69cadf915d8a087b913a49f8626f390c0d0ee0cdec8431fc"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5184d3f75cc4f4df8ba1f86f2b798ad2e23f7bc69dcff709134ba2416636b320"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2ba79238f7b3dd4f2e98e9dd9fc8842921aa1da656e7987101a4186a71381dc8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f9d39dfc63f6a4c90ad273f1c6ffec866950927be912ce2e81b5646e315b7b05"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101891"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101891
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101891

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c6f269c4bdd9261c69cadf915d8a087b913a49f8626f390c0d0ee0cdec8431fc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101891, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101891" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101891 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101891 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18087, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "351a12e7bbbcc1f15640e4bf93bbfd654923eb0fc05687a3df1a13d975e3ff77" }, { "bytes": 7832, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f8d6d8500a4cfe78e6991d5003cbc3413aeaf0d254dbca501aed1a788e21694a" }, { "bytes": 7530, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c6f269c4bdd9261c69cadf915d8a087b913a49f8626f390c0d0ee0cdec8431fc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101891/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101891", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7f96-b72b-f55111f01a40" } KhG/EfZe6xUWUic9kU1Wy0AMM0e9AyF0KHyNKENOxt9KI6FFQDCZeOri9mSfFUpLhP//Ux6OWZVo5x5mI56jBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: KhG/EfZe6xUWUic9kU1Wy0AMM0e9AyF0KHyNKENOxt9KI6FFQDCZeOri9mSfFUpLhP//Ux6OWZVo5x5mI56jBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17838,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ed77ee82b038624ba9c801f914e6db28c8a49fbacab3a4c79278104e868f9333"},{"bytes":7626,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9a9bc34093c6dc90d7fd472dd49e99bc39344f013d6d60775be36fd7709186f6"},{"bytes":7324,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9ebd46eebfd5661284d74079b6263fb2ef29feda7bb912f832cccfc72e31e12a"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"be81c48dda8ebf0c36d3641f59086c646d01dabc06c4acdcd78fee9ba9da0029"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"00dd1763357c9df891e9e5ac51c542cc7dbfa8576a86e7cde65ba0d4e955e5eb"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"19e2f13a94c3f3d2788cc04c0afae44b5d2fc2532ab3a4131e501ad6bd90a820"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101892"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101892
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101892

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9ebd46eebfd5661284d74079b6263fb2ef29feda7bb912f832cccfc72e31e12a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101892, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101892.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101892" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101892" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101892 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101892 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101892 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101892 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101893

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
bc8141b9821356853dea3437316e4eba4d35be51d871f7049ed96e1514ae0162

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101893, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101893.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101893" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101893" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101893 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101893 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101893 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101893 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101894

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
44098f1c48bfd5ca11a012fc20c363b4b6cb405d0f413e0011c602c0a8f0491c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101894, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101894" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101894 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101894 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18091, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "315f7916e9a004783319e94387c04c4477b6974092d081eb7a297994347c048f" }, { "bytes": 7836, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "234b288446ff81cc4738206b202556c6b2dd4e73143c314fc264698ebd8dbf49" }, { "bytes": 7534, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "44098f1c48bfd5ca11a012fc20c363b4b6cb405d0f413e0011c602c0a8f0491c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101894/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101894", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7cf3-a710-3a28bfe55bf8" } E7sT9jX2xoyDqzM17o2bqzEv9usrLkWcziGrzklD4Of5uiSWUJaZjyfPXp+6GRV2NJbb9rYgBQExyWgA5GAEAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: E7sT9jX2xoyDqzM17o2bqzEv9usrLkWcziGrzklD4Of5uiSWUJaZjyfPXp+6GRV2NJbb9rYgBQExyWgA5GAEAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17842,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4e48313d8795b2e1b44351dc4dd634d0a6c7af691a2b26693b2797d8c55cfe22"},{"bytes":7630,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"820e900e3e50ec77f63f86e3e41f6d8a827184d25f79b6a35259982b739728ff"},{"bytes":7328,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"99ff0805a515d299379bdf5d807460de62b6865ba8eb1dfaa85961096a1151ec"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"051ed7bdaa3535f7497a1b3cb8b78b50d312b320ef8569cbf0a28a3b264b8a4c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"95863697d35e872c333201badbc45263984eacd3eb9d89723891823cd3eb03c8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1601d6feb77c3e06d44f896f93d647b9e1d54c705975ab6668e54bf62d1a9f74"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101895"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101895
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101895

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
99ff0805a515d299379bdf5d807460de62b6865ba8eb1dfaa85961096a1151ec

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101895, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101895.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101895" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101895" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101895 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101895 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101895 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101895 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101896

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6910aa081332eb4bf39dc081074df3140f28825fb636c85a72797ca3ba8bdd07

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101896, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101896" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101896 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101896 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17482, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "97d800d503ac6609842cf23e2623b06cbf6deb31893a03941f7c655f686ad0e3" }, { "bytes": 7305, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b95b3722e9d351a2704418eb8f2541f5fb43f31f56b4c5f8c0d0868dade0b31d" }, { "bytes": 7016, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6910aa081332eb4bf39dc081074df3140f28825fb636c85a72797ca3ba8bdd07" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101896/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101896", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7381-91e0-008c7d82653f" } dY1/HeVJ05/e2ZXnJAcUt3D1Puf/a+xLHLzQwsZMUUWHBTnm52CxHy83xpa+7rKjWXjDY51aSdVcEbJ7Vuo3Dg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: dY1/HeVJ05/e2ZXnJAcUt3D1Puf/a+xLHLzQwsZMUUWHBTnm52CxHy83xpa+7rKjWXjDY51aSdVcEbJ7Vuo3Dg== {"files":[{"bytes":18280,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d61a4be7312328ff5e6383014805a9b5c12ee40e35447778271b374174789ea3"},{"bytes":7993,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fd6be4da8cecfd0d0408b44629445a6b5ec1dd0e9551f99338d0ff02cf28cf49"},{"bytes":7701,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8735af78eacbf36da08df18633a17321205698b3deec2292b5909892e91f997c"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"048086459baa976d80dd8f8b54a5fd8363ea530a6417ea49cb1583487c6834bd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"73f914eb37233840eb5998223b66c4eba05fa8fd2a0ee3621c4c0b2775fb6bb1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"796dc064034e93547338292af038e25c4d9bbfb6757fe20a6648682b9a213e31"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101897"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101897
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101897

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8735af78eacbf36da08df18633a17321205698b3deec2292b5909892e91f997c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101897, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101897" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101897 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101897 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1137 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18280, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d61a4be7312328ff5e6383014805a9b5c12ee40e35447778271b374174789ea3" }, { "bytes": 7993, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fd6be4da8cecfd0d0408b44629445a6b5ec1dd0e9551f99338d0ff02cf28cf49" }, { "bytes": 7701, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8735af78eacbf36da08df18633a17321205698b3deec2292b5909892e91f997c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101897/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101897", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7e91-b9a5-1d76832a7be2" } RH1B5XLJU02PumV2RmRD47VPZocJTTfWxWtGEFRaohRtYzX8FY1l+rV8uFVPuqoBAFwi1qPW5ZEVP+OllVGhCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: RH1B5XLJU02PumV2RmRD47VPZocJTTfWxWtGEFRaohRtYzX8FY1l+rV8uFVPuqoBAFwi1qPW5ZEVP+OllVGhCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18031,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fa2beff4bdb1c1fce153609e343fe64d5b278e122077ecc784edd56222893df4"},{"bytes":7787,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"bd42666cc79d9b01a46720bff19baf3097f8be0064fc5b3c2c309f2025293b4d"},{"bytes":7495,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f8f3e1caaffe312ce5ba98e3ab6acbd85cbe1606df89d3cc2fa7020018259cc8"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8d8838b4b0b6675a2220badc815cc7d263ad95885c8c95d904bef3ec97474318"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b0e036e08ae9926dabd0e346000ff3e85d3a78fbff24d895568112eca105e52b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"dea4be510a3ae74787efef3b5c98251d7a6ca2ce17077190757845ef82151277"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101898"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101898
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101898

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f8f3e1caaffe312ce5ba98e3ab6acbd85cbe1606df89d3cc2fa7020018259cc8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101898, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101898" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101898 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101898 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1103 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18031, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fa2beff4bdb1c1fce153609e343fe64d5b278e122077ecc784edd56222893df4" }, { "bytes": 7787, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bd42666cc79d9b01a46720bff19baf3097f8be0064fc5b3c2c309f2025293b4d" }, { "bytes": 7495, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f8f3e1caaffe312ce5ba98e3ab6acbd85cbe1606df89d3cc2fa7020018259cc8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101898/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101898", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-728f-b6f9-21dc58b34e52" } aMrnVIEmQMLLOrHtcNqBvhWyoLd3InaDeerbct5QoYHi6Rc5OI5wfhizPhjsx12uevrkrNe3bqoz3sEHBJGiCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: aMrnVIEmQMLLOrHtcNqBvhWyoLd3InaDeerbct5QoYHi6Rc5OI5wfhizPhjsx12uevrkrNe3bqoz3sEHBJGiCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17428,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c4aa8232e6c1d29b3a16bb083f6bfbf14b2a57a6313317407762afaef794b233"},{"bytes":7251,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"cc4c47a239a259a038a89701b5e959d649915f3190c5ef54afc87b24b0524df7"},{"bytes":6962,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d4fe8b3689213511dc574c2160c6bcc3e4130e16ce3b0b39081e58be436dc5eb"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"13eb422a22f06c25610e0de36b81b030c0e3061a9e998b02d09d6bd474e9f995"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"994435d14c5f082101fa403cf51907efbe9d9579609806ca28faaa802cd081c9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3387c8dae6650242cdfaab7d8d694025d5a2c7795fc21b6d137055c0300ce8e0"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101899"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101899
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101899

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
d4fe8b3689213511dc574c2160c6bcc3e4130e16ce3b0b39081e58be436dc5eb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101899, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101899.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101899" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101899" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101899 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101899 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101899 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101899 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101900

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
4e40a956893f8c0a71d8bdc8df9d058e1f1c3e64c704be1583e78f6313643ba1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101900, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101900.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101900" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101900" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101900 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101900 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101900 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101900 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101901

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
104b6e8a667c3f2693c416aac635b837eb3d4c97832803f4f7a911a65adb6e4d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101901, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101901" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101901 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101901 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1088 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17977, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3a5bb8cd6bc63be4097fa168c5f44b212a6091b85d50fce26dc71c4f3fdb26b9" }, { "bytes": 7733, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "331cef7d7bc51589194a6201c5e55ad2f0619a267c9caab1c87dd010225f2e2e" }, { "bytes": 7441, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "104b6e8a667c3f2693c416aac635b837eb3d4c97832803f4f7a911a65adb6e4d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101901/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101901", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7bb4-aef7-e4315e46d283" } bgCOjUCJF5nJQB3ciauoeiX7/vw6f7P4YLqrx+c0bGEY8hSHJu5D9Ro/YNTmJ/f30wAqi6u2oKSCbBq+LxHbCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bgCOjUCJF5nJQB3ciauoeiX7/vw6f7P4YLqrx+c0bGEY8hSHJu5D9Ro/YNTmJ/f30wAqi6u2oKSCbBq+LxHbCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17182,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2d2b604fd72dd5ba835091ba3fc19447ed10d016adaa69be665540b5269ee2de"},{"bytes":7053,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5fac327c8b79dc9d7fe528dade2c2faa0ac4f58ab650d74298080afcb8776db3"},{"bytes":6762,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4901d29efd8ebd0d0934874a0117033016dc55a28ead3c6dccd93d27f035344a"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"42ee8421d02dd85e559219993386ce474944bec70e4f841e4247e5860fbe8f95"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"220384702d4105213929a993802b8492eed84d49472cbdee176791fd3a34be3d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"21f24653dc8f9bc36db8c01341ff42ace7c8bc4a0950909aaa2dec857cad5cca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101902"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101902
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101902

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4901d29efd8ebd0d0934874a0117033016dc55a28ead3c6dccd93d27f035344a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101902, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101902" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101902 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101902 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 980 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17182, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2d2b604fd72dd5ba835091ba3fc19447ed10d016adaa69be665540b5269ee2de" }, { "bytes": 7053, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5fac327c8b79dc9d7fe528dade2c2faa0ac4f58ab650d74298080afcb8776db3" }, { "bytes": 6762, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4901d29efd8ebd0d0934874a0117033016dc55a28ead3c6dccd93d27f035344a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101902/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101902", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7a4c-877e-9a113e504cfa" } +gvDsC1NRNsimFNbiyJ79IWtiXPaaedEGp92LxIR7YbrLqAkA8BpkgtFGBdeRQiZJ6TbYie6vUUT2+m6YormCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +gvDsC1NRNsimFNbiyJ79IWtiXPaaedEGp92LxIR7YbrLqAkA8BpkgtFGBdeRQiZJ6TbYie6vUUT2+m6YormCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17980,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9610641de3450ce94ea7096bbbab1433ba8aaa84889bb2d3f36e93eae45a4d86"},{"bytes":7741,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6c4b41ded24e6392eee746f72f5ac9890fef76651ed72df1df5eb8d334badc61"},{"bytes":7447,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"eecf13c762c7759ded7e66cd04e5544dee4b170f0c5016c3c24a28abdf66c7a2"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"044476d11a2a6b7dc68e0523f3058683ec4d6a2e62b381be6159fda2082b5e70"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1afcbfee72b88fac3fe26fef2b0c0168a5e8bba627ba4ee5b3d0a838a599469f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e7fbd712f7592d9ab469573a3a79d54c4f14fc899fd0311e11eed01fed196afb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101903"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101903
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101903

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
eecf13c762c7759ded7e66cd04e5544dee4b170f0c5016c3c24a28abdf66c7a2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101903, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101903" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101903 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101903 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1085 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17980, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9610641de3450ce94ea7096bbbab1433ba8aaa84889bb2d3f36e93eae45a4d86" }, { "bytes": 7741, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6c4b41ded24e6392eee746f72f5ac9890fef76651ed72df1df5eb8d334badc61" }, { "bytes": 7447, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "eecf13c762c7759ded7e66cd04e5544dee4b170f0c5016c3c24a28abdf66c7a2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101903/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101903", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f0-7cce-b28e-28073381168a" } KirvbuNB2Kff1/8UsD3HEz6zSngjC7JOUBL8FjN5F2WdlKDJIQDy/fhFI5FwSB/N8U9aeyXngMQn2KmdnX6GAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: KirvbuNB2Kff1/8UsD3HEz6zSngjC7JOUBL8FjN5F2WdlKDJIQDy/fhFI5FwSB/N8U9aeyXngMQn2KmdnX6GAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17731,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6c17f6b376aabdc469719e7cb0f056210753a547f643cb6a81273bf8e8d03860"},{"bytes":7535,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"53f3fe5f761605d8eeffef3261e10da318ebe3b74b7e50fe5fd66c0d29271683"},{"bytes":7241,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e9a59604979236c2409007741c3ae6c3fd087bf8cfe90294d3da33e01d7b077c"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c8a9748a1c3925a235cb5181444dc27461fe912f49235f84af7f8527ef6f6036"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7805c992bfaf26aed7400b35edf182206381c68f218a34f7f898fe97b88e1809"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b1c52bfa59bea9c7ae62d40fab46d9587162a486c3a9320ef6cd483142f8a873"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101904"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101904
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101904

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e9a59604979236c2409007741c3ae6c3fd087bf8cfe90294d3da33e01d7b077c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101904, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101904.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101904" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101904" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101904 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101904 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101904 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101904 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101905

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e325cf3a9bf557591a447cb417b451d7ee489d06f67a83c129fc1d404275d691

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101905, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101905.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101905" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101905" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101905 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101905 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101905 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101905 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101906

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
02cbe175c7fb4ad86c0c7b852caef9025dd4abda99f898117baf9fe38d2f19ab

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101906, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101906.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101906" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101906" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101906 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101906 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101906 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101906 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101907

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2553794d553c850d0b66d1178551e4ed42fb80c0f3df989e421252f7693a5fc5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101907, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101907" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Two isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101907 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Two isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101907 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, two isolation valves, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1051 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17731, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "53e355a5fd6ef3a8603c423a516f85855e0d434f986832d99458ea6634a2a973" }, { "bytes": 7535, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7bef17adffbe127831dac6dc539501ac1e70035cdf569d8cc75a788ba76a4a06" }, { "bytes": 7241, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2553794d553c850d0b66d1178551e4ed42fb80c0f3df989e421252f7693a5fc5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101907/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101907", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7f94-b5bb-c8943074c056" } axDTLt0Tu0QwCgLpQyEPdCWWcFsnR+v2nGJJZl3NfvAvVzsgYsEjxj5ldm5nET14UnJUJYn0YXyzmwMADHNPCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: axDTLt0Tu0QwCgLpQyEPdCWWcFsnR+v2nGJJZl3NfvAvVzsgYsEjxj5ldm5nET14UnJUJYn0YXyzmwMADHNPCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17465,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0c1c56df0bf97ca1c757fea3313a8dada092385f1361464ed1a8162529b6897e"},{"bytes":7281,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4e03c7c4e4c5c1842f419e2ea4b38888d71614ff7b2f093c35072cf295e531ab"},{"bytes":6973,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cfbb316a96850afd661026d1967a0421f3714fa165d1a63994ff5217280e546d"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"94b3abbd434da880c0abafd821ac7d200f3af941dfec206a28e0b9677c0b15b6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1f55338f06954704da613ad5e7733c2a0782f523b876c0b2d862ac2dcade1ece"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7642b3fa8bac1b3e355957e09972db339aec9dea7c43751cfbd81686aa238722"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101908"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101908
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101908

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
cfbb316a96850afd661026d1967a0421f3714fa165d1a63994ff5217280e546d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101908, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101908" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101908 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101908 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17465, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0c1c56df0bf97ca1c757fea3313a8dada092385f1361464ed1a8162529b6897e" }, { "bytes": 7281, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4e03c7c4e4c5c1842f419e2ea4b38888d71614ff7b2f093c35072cf295e531ab" }, { "bytes": 6973, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cfbb316a96850afd661026d1967a0421f3714fa165d1a63994ff5217280e546d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101908/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101908", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7a25-ac27-49402700d5e9" } k3H1WrgxIjySWZnD+HOpsU8kxG9ll1dvLrjKrTEINasHuMku91rb0hGFVYrtSTrU/LODCW3vr/7sDYzTiSisDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: k3H1WrgxIjySWZnD+HOpsU8kxG9ll1dvLrjKrTEINasHuMku91rb0hGFVYrtSTrU/LODCW3vr/7sDYzTiSisDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18263,"name":"index.html","sha256":"da0c9c452789ab39b9c6e26eb49cc87dfaf33b2aeb5ef17b66d106e70f778255"},{"bytes":7969,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"edfe3dcd4d7e78a186f7d6bd67d5abd707e4e9a80ce713dfe9cfa00e4250864c"},{"bytes":7658,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"be93f77b10bae6f35aa97b7824a708ce69fb4f4d6389c96e24634b6933d07df3"},{"bytes":2783,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"20ab47797575739aba346d0997d41e4270665b556c4990b7277163d42421f43a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e3b67436e80289061cf08fd1c5d882cb96a56bccfa0ffc28d6a5ee7c658a02d1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e9bb3dfd6cb64f61be793d10d816bebb41d33cacdc16e7306bb2cd359e77ff33"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101909"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101909
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101909

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
be93f77b10bae6f35aa97b7824a708ce69fb4f4d6389c96e24634b6933d07df3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101909, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101909" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101909 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101909 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18263, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "da0c9c452789ab39b9c6e26eb49cc87dfaf33b2aeb5ef17b66d106e70f778255" }, { "bytes": 7969, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "edfe3dcd4d7e78a186f7d6bd67d5abd707e4e9a80ce713dfe9cfa00e4250864c" }, { "bytes": 7658, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "be93f77b10bae6f35aa97b7824a708ce69fb4f4d6389c96e24634b6933d07df3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101909/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101909", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7027-b9b0-516b9f096cb9" } Mj9JVCA1S22aO8twOT3FIGtwDh1S8fq9kRg3epmzkNW5k/w6hZhs/3EnwBnhlXxLo0xCu5YLbDT91EJMVHibCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Mj9JVCA1S22aO8twOT3FIGtwDh1S8fq9kRg3epmzkNW5k/w6hZhs/3EnwBnhlXxLo0xCu5YLbDT91EJMVHibCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18014,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0602b27008c0c4510ae30958590ed206e3a4e6823879e19752580fd77ca06791"},{"bytes":7763,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ded2a20d915564ef723c4da3e2578b88e79d5f34fee91b22ad45d9da96c84edd"},{"bytes":7452,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ee1d857e5177d3cef49b435cd42bbdbe64c1b5f0bd1676ef8d02050ded7305a9"},{"bytes":2783,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8eee22e4387091ab68a0a935d1935c092c0b845ef7c49c895191ec0f617c40e1"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fbd1e8ce4945e7f261ffc3cd22d3b242824a0f4434e36ca98b32e90194c31544"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4f1b2cb9d70eb2e569a5949974431b0a4357c377dc771e953cd1bffa536c989e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101910"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101910
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101910

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
ee1d857e5177d3cef49b435cd42bbdbe64c1b5f0bd1676ef8d02050ded7305a9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101910, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101910" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101910 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101910 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18014, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0602b27008c0c4510ae30958590ed206e3a4e6823879e19752580fd77ca06791" }, { "bytes": 7763, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ded2a20d915564ef723c4da3e2578b88e79d5f34fee91b22ad45d9da96c84edd" }, { "bytes": 7452, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ee1d857e5177d3cef49b435cd42bbdbe64c1b5f0bd1676ef8d02050ded7305a9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101910/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101910", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7b3c-a765-ee45dedfcdd1" } dTUjSzE1PgVjR76BkwGZxA2gfxfkOpqVRVxvshVofUOKZCt+YsRkocMX1Pz4nt2zI47907OG5A1KlwSfI23YCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: dTUjSzE1PgVjR76BkwGZxA2gfxfkOpqVRVxvshVofUOKZCt+YsRkocMX1Pz4nt2zI47907OG5A1KlwSfI23YCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17466,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1b707bdb25b728022ad9bf4d3a0bc8b53b9ef116f620094fefcc95e076e6a034"},{"bytes":7282,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2a3985573afbf458f45246efab19a79d10fd776141a2eb1b9accfe3943de0621"},{"bytes":6974,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d40f3bd9c142b6249cf4c5de921065694ad60863b6c36e0709d509a8453f3355"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b0cde9b94628d537130eb0d0aede2631d278a1782539634d87517c50d8fd7897"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"43a6b9b28fabac29eb67a13df7927f1dbae6680f4d30656ec7715729f4fd1e0d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d5834ed5a9186528fe351ea0f4b749f565a4a469d87359eed6ab186330354645"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101911"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101911
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101911

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
d40f3bd9c142b6249cf4c5de921065694ad60863b6c36e0709d509a8453f3355

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101911, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101911" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101911 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101911 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17466, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1b707bdb25b728022ad9bf4d3a0bc8b53b9ef116f620094fefcc95e076e6a034" }, { "bytes": 7282, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2a3985573afbf458f45246efab19a79d10fd776141a2eb1b9accfe3943de0621" }, { "bytes": 6974, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d40f3bd9c142b6249cf4c5de921065694ad60863b6c36e0709d509a8453f3355" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101911/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101911", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7b34-ace2-b8eb796924fa" } DueseUTVYyu496W7SoRL7nJfuAbHW7FnwnXj75kD8dv9cjoyiu0ZINhXdtoBvrmx2u7gARTsn5T31oaqZBiZDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: DueseUTVYyu496W7SoRL7nJfuAbHW7FnwnXj75kD8dv9cjoyiu0ZINhXdtoBvrmx2u7gARTsn5T31oaqZBiZDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18264,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5a56d71c91e6b01ee99013ed86bf72054e73ef58b87e3e989a0b87f0fef10326"},{"bytes":7970,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1f0b11ec821f45d4109b79d116aff123133f86998c20a664866b4d622829e43a"},{"bytes":7659,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e42c5a6461c895a1a4900828f6aa698c15a0169396d45c46980bfa467d94b4cb"},{"bytes":2783,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"eebdc244101ee993e689c457522fafd0fe7444d678106af6b866d392cb26db70"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"418212f9561fd136c2cf4c726966fa82b0e8609dbba4e6e785bb494cd9a6e1e1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0de696d755bfc1f6d8fe83df0c61b0ac4396136855f5e50bbe1bd758200de267"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101912"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101912
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101912

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e42c5a6461c895a1a4900828f6aa698c15a0169396d45c46980bfa467d94b4cb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101912, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101912" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101912 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101912 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18264, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5a56d71c91e6b01ee99013ed86bf72054e73ef58b87e3e989a0b87f0fef10326" }, { "bytes": 7970, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1f0b11ec821f45d4109b79d116aff123133f86998c20a664866b4d622829e43a" }, { "bytes": 7659, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e42c5a6461c895a1a4900828f6aa698c15a0169396d45c46980bfa467d94b4cb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101912/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101912", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7f1f-9031-3008db1e0dca" } eSpbQCSmtqfZ8eJa3JGP01c3+5FCecKffgNzsnwAdpkTpSCmQhXOj9btPAdb1G4t+XaWDRWjbhLAMdkQx9V6CA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: eSpbQCSmtqfZ8eJa3JGP01c3+5FCecKffgNzsnwAdpkTpSCmQhXOj9btPAdb1G4t+XaWDRWjbhLAMdkQx9V6CA== {"files":[{"bytes":18015,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9deef16d00d6e0863c300dd376d93da46c8e232e5175fe3b6735a03256747696"},{"bytes":7764,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"98b9abc4e8ce515fcb51668786f30245894b0c2c8959568d3c5ba82fc1414c41"},{"bytes":7453,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3c91ee99b0da1a62783df84389f37091fec3bb5fa6c91d25ceac1c5b87117b29"},{"bytes":2783,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"50e710af42b982cae611a5ad81466e812111eb110fcfa92cdc1373cc6a508b73"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8039dba1e6c16f016a9eec88ae6cea930f9ce41761fbe298db1ebc59824ce61c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4eb66f01b5b98f26b44300112b53eb4430c95a8a76138226f604f6aae9207911"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101913"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101913
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101913

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3c91ee99b0da1a62783df84389f37091fec3bb5fa6c91d25ceac1c5b87117b29

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101913, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101913" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101913 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101913 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18015, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9deef16d00d6e0863c300dd376d93da46c8e232e5175fe3b6735a03256747696" }, { "bytes": 7764, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "98b9abc4e8ce515fcb51668786f30245894b0c2c8959568d3c5ba82fc1414c41" }, { "bytes": 7453, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3c91ee99b0da1a62783df84389f37091fec3bb5fa6c91d25ceac1c5b87117b29" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101913/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101913", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-748e-859e-76ba41ca1a82" } mzaCbbTmBX1agxTTBZhy/HK0QNFw2G753UIH7SVl1qYfef0pgeRxdz3C3YdzP60hrNPuYdi/dEtcL0pGhDrPDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: mzaCbbTmBX1agxTTBZhy/HK0QNFw2G753UIH7SVl1qYfef0pgeRxdz3C3YdzP60hrNPuYdi/dEtcL0pGhDrPDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17470,"name":"index.html","sha256":"904146e6650e2992319156ac01364305a4c6669ec7c60503683467648b204ff8"},{"bytes":7286,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5b5cf2e5f450b59b31b66204d5c3814b30424bdfe9859a2dc70e9875e1141908"},{"bytes":6978,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f85679bb182d111b4c7a1a8c726ca243c6cb301aec067067b1ae29410ffc51e5"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"919f35a2d04816365549268dcc643839896508ebf7832de5034862051e75a59b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6cd342ac81e311c53ff70405beed2f0d72dc4933a07352258adbaab780a2a394"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"36736ba978bfd307703d780b3305ff59ab2b9dae71aeee38c224201231dad686"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101914"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101914
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101914

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
f85679bb182d111b4c7a1a8c726ca243c6cb301aec067067b1ae29410ffc51e5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101914, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101914.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101914" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101914" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101914 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101914 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101914 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101914 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101915

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0aec909385134afaf38e6c787c4b06a6cc98cbe60f51fc6276db7b4d09eea62e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101915, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101915.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101915" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101915" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101915 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101915 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101915 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101915 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101916

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5b6a6b0e20afa597dc5bc08782d5dba4ae85f824696e3a603d5722c8917b2aaa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101916, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101916.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101916" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101916" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101916 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101916 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101916 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101916 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101917

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
412540dabe1148bd639957dab60f9820d3facc3223563fdab43881ad461919c2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101917, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101917" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101917 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101917 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17643, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "60d6c325901270d2d0bd6f90bc289363a2e3207f52bda29cbc81bf690d44bfda" }, { "bytes": 7431, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "64150e5fcfd445306b8a0dc0b037cbdfbc610b11be543f635c565ee19b60188f" }, { "bytes": 7135, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "412540dabe1148bd639957dab60f9820d3facc3223563fdab43881ad461919c2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101917/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101917", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7b9a-a273-61a969a33c12" } J+1UaU/1QCt8gwBG5X+zY5iXD6JFNwGzlqWcJ8+GQB0t+P2CR8A3XZPnb+r+FVYdk0j7tYsVrcJCnXa121jsDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: J+1UaU/1QCt8gwBG5X+zY5iXD6JFNwGzlqWcJ8+GQB0t+P2CR8A3XZPnb+r+FVYdk0j7tYsVrcJCnXa121jsDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18441,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f4c44ca74e4590e915fbe8d31baf78a9aa77145ef9c7850a3af73db97445da86"},{"bytes":8119,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fb3752ec4e0f09326595bb2811250e16e6b993f4911b1fe2ab191efa315a5cf7"},{"bytes":7820,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"427a2cbe781c32fcf2c6ce5897343c91d5d95ca4bf1f6172ec7bbc4172f5f45a"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d45f4b8b07b2e7719b4aa76da2144efb193a2dba00633012526b91f76af95628"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e6709194e3838091353dbca20e8f6d7b70d099361bf1ea4f51399cf10fecaea8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"858c771627fe0d8c272f9a9317a616f1bd4ad28c53319a6b278e55fd9f437556"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101918"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101918
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101918

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
427a2cbe781c32fcf2c6ce5897343c91d5d95ca4bf1f6172ec7bbc4172f5f45a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101918, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101918" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101918 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101918 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18441, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f4c44ca74e4590e915fbe8d31baf78a9aa77145ef9c7850a3af73db97445da86" }, { "bytes": 8119, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fb3752ec4e0f09326595bb2811250e16e6b993f4911b1fe2ab191efa315a5cf7" }, { "bytes": 7820, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "427a2cbe781c32fcf2c6ce5897343c91d5d95ca4bf1f6172ec7bbc4172f5f45a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101918/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101918", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79cb-ada6-73f2cb4b8da2" } tqKKCgJ4M3U/gkOEet1qVUCT13yyyq6emYnTBuoAIWPob/NYhXc7NxgKKVYWLbWFwo4HpSQyl0Z0nohWIudqDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tqKKCgJ4M3U/gkOEet1qVUCT13yyyq6emYnTBuoAIWPob/NYhXc7NxgKKVYWLbWFwo4HpSQyl0Z0nohWIudqDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18192,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f92b4cc3e35995aea997ac0cd76e32a6e5244bd74331663e46a2a5579d679158"},{"bytes":7913,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b3d70583ca6f3ffdf112dc4186ca7d4e2e20100ad9d34ebcfabf706fd056b434"},{"bytes":7614,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bcf6f9f5a3fbd086c95d7f41752e1cf229a877eeb91d55086bceab12269a664a"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"66ce29effe928addeeb8ecfc033eae2d9d3ee3b33e8115c1460ec73dce790a16"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"13b2406b210252ed24cc1b4f1ef454dc2432324618779bd2edd11ace3cfcbb6c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5cb20b7f00137a49657d5c76105a2b4c394fc47ecc4c780d16233055c6412432"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101919"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101919
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101919

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
bcf6f9f5a3fbd086c95d7f41752e1cf229a877eeb91d55086bceab12269a664a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101919, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101919" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101919 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101919 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18192, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f92b4cc3e35995aea997ac0cd76e32a6e5244bd74331663e46a2a5579d679158" }, { "bytes": 7913, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b3d70583ca6f3ffdf112dc4186ca7d4e2e20100ad9d34ebcfabf706fd056b434" }, { "bytes": 7614, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bcf6f9f5a3fbd086c95d7f41752e1cf229a877eeb91d55086bceab12269a664a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101919/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101919", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-727c-b1a5-06814604dfe5" } VwVprUt5n2OaxXgNXtUEqXC6hs1G0ctkvXJXkLXgoUibsAbYjkLr5jGUgkTdhytLIOtCweNRkRyB1I0ATq7NAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VwVprUt5n2OaxXgNXtUEqXC6hs1G0ctkvXJXkLXgoUibsAbYjkLr5jGUgkTdhytLIOtCweNRkRyB1I0ATq7NAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17589,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ab806262783425e7aa3f8400914b36962369fbb591fea068ef07495c26dbfb1c"},{"bytes":7377,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c2ea8832a4b01f701949e9974a189078297a535b2d4afe4571c599d016dbe427"},{"bytes":7081,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2c362646e77b98791d6cbd96c479f74930c91f2d9def21a261e7f70bb23aab87"},{"bytes":2749,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"acb832d67c14f8d937f3d0644000a79ac0102e3863328586d94e31e9142c90da"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8b728647119629e4fb8e693e677c4c30028d09a5635836f4d8d4e448ba437acf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b013190e784dc8c84773d95fe13ff005f2fe6ace28ce358432a29919a799041c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101920"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101920
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101920

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2c362646e77b98791d6cbd96c479f74930c91f2d9def21a261e7f70bb23aab87

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101920, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101920" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101920 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101920 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17589, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ab806262783425e7aa3f8400914b36962369fbb591fea068ef07495c26dbfb1c" }, { "bytes": 7377, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c2ea8832a4b01f701949e9974a189078297a535b2d4afe4571c599d016dbe427" }, { "bytes": 7081, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2c362646e77b98791d6cbd96c479f74930c91f2d9def21a261e7f70bb23aab87" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101920/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101920", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7018-9d68-44875155dec6" } pfaoZaT5ziqlRRYIGNzKaDiwoh7FJRLvM5W6MuWesUamW4AzwCX19GWeM7BnGmsndjjX6MOiiKBKtskXAmcFAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: pfaoZaT5ziqlRRYIGNzKaDiwoh7FJRLvM5W6MuWesUamW4AzwCX19GWeM7BnGmsndjjX6MOiiKBKtskXAmcFAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18387,"name":"index.html","sha256":"42d5476fb5ad98169a45afe34a1c7fb5c87ab68de1da37f84cf143a1f10ed48c"},{"bytes":8065,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c911f1e8e8434f209a6890e54032d23a329ebd27e005f0654e4b13be6edf4e65"},{"bytes":7766,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6a4be4bbaab8046159a4f7bf410b65c857137b7b14969f6c178e7e7525309a94"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4fc9768e3f8c62bdaac2365681cf40a14fddd845df13a7d681885d05eed11359"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d78c5820ddb9e28da7a8c88a1da2c07b8c313863cfb32b483d392946134e1f19"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9211371fe71256cbb66dc513731d31be337893df6a087276d01dfdb0aa73f143"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101921"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101921
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101921

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6a4be4bbaab8046159a4f7bf410b65c857137b7b14969f6c178e7e7525309a94

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101921, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101921" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101921 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101921 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18387, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "42d5476fb5ad98169a45afe34a1c7fb5c87ab68de1da37f84cf143a1f10ed48c" }, { "bytes": 8065, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c911f1e8e8434f209a6890e54032d23a329ebd27e005f0654e4b13be6edf4e65" }, { "bytes": 7766, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6a4be4bbaab8046159a4f7bf410b65c857137b7b14969f6c178e7e7525309a94" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101921/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101921", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7e29-b209-b752da45ee4d" } tu316Rx1bhfmGJJf9OKTgm+RPY7k7KCsTp3Bk0rFl836C4i8EtuVkS07yhH9AX0B3J9SKQE5IfA7OSWL2QDaBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tu316Rx1bhfmGJJf9OKTgm+RPY7k7KCsTp3Bk0rFl836C4i8EtuVkS07yhH9AX0B3J9SKQE5IfA7OSWL2QDaBA== {"files":[{"bytes":18138,"name":"index.html","sha256":"351fcaeac21e56c4b4c43f9a7a54044c0c2af27393251196eac48bc093a2cd9d"},{"bytes":7859,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d4c827dc99097d759ca68fbab32ac4c6da5d578a07c86a2caff6319bb4ef6173"},{"bytes":7560,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7301606aa10c88fd5e52f47e10f389e639e249c5d7ab402af2a91314c4a0fd4f"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c4f0dab0cd24376294786293854355052ec5ab4efd49309feb607e3323e731fc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"cb4b5e99336cee7764c3cf1057928dd4059140aa2073d53f56bb0a38fad5178d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d74b5395d01ef407aaaf66a0b38c9b383a50b5e2a78079926f80cd849de48ba6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101922"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101922
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101922

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7301606aa10c88fd5e52f47e10f389e639e249c5d7ab402af2a91314c4a0fd4f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101922, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101922" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101922 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101922 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1104 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18138, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "351fcaeac21e56c4b4c43f9a7a54044c0c2af27393251196eac48bc093a2cd9d" }, { "bytes": 7859, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d4c827dc99097d759ca68fbab32ac4c6da5d578a07c86a2caff6319bb4ef6173" }, { "bytes": 7560, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7301606aa10c88fd5e52f47e10f389e639e249c5d7ab402af2a91314c4a0fd4f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101922/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101922", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7f86-8044-2db0573156cf" } EyHsg3TKv0fuEe35uZO3IbCc7mFWDxJbw9QutFC1xdDvKbqqbQR88711/UnIT35RuZIvzWuCObzSxGpxw7j4DA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: EyHsg3TKv0fuEe35uZO3IbCc7mFWDxJbw9QutFC1xdDvKbqqbQR88711/UnIT35RuZIvzWuCObzSxGpxw7j4DA== {"files":[{"bytes":17359,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4e395342c21660c8d1b51a5decd3f08a83ea2ba1b76c2c2e8b782ffd7a3b4ab4"},{"bytes":7191,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4dd2cef303b1c08ea58a8acdeb9fd0c7721ab70fc363a9b1ef1e090e4f343b28"},{"bytes":6891,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"05afcf43f4e09c5870180ce94a4acc83248b10ffb042edadcbf9d275479cad5d"},{"bytes":2765,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"86af97a3958ea67c727c51c7ecce7e17dc21ac1bb206ef80eaac0bf4d06164bb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e0bd9be224836dd602efd5d2faf8b2f0cdcd913e86224b0aaae8123637bbf729"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5e9e3464392b801f3fab9c9db1d33a8053393430932fba8bad29e52a00512261"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101923"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101923
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101923

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
05afcf43f4e09c5870180ce94a4acc83248b10ffb042edadcbf9d275479cad5d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101923, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101923.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101923" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101923" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101923 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101923 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101923 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101923 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101924

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
174480ed27ba722b88e288ad36a81fc42623bc17112a86e4dc7b86c5d881b99d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101924, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101924.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101924" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101924" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101924 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101924 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101924 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101924 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101925

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1fdddb6087f7a96af82ed47fb1d4f1c1968049ad6ba22c3dde3711119ce2e1b9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101925, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101925" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101925 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101925 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17908, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "12f9eb6eab80fe3e95eb60b9d96403f88e42cc8b4b1d846710cc554e06c82501" }, { "bytes": 7673, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2cf86f07b2bf8edc01e9e23566e9834006a29e7159d0e37dd994dfabdbfb0b7a" }, { "bytes": 7370, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1fdddb6087f7a96af82ed47fb1d4f1c1968049ad6ba22c3dde3711119ce2e1b9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101925/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101925", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ffb-ab69-0f0b07b4aedc" } 13l9Id8XCVuu2ZyP9g+Ecx+yGHDPDjkUxA6WBWa7zyJn/ivhQwYa8XG08F0m9+EOV64PMuCHWzHNvaLmAxYCCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 13l9Id8XCVuu2ZyP9g+Ecx+yGHDPDjkUxA6WBWa7zyJn/ivhQwYa8XG08F0m9+EOV64PMuCHWzHNvaLmAxYCCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17359,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6a46822a10c3eaf40a65385af0cd3841f80ab95a5898423841e18249a9c65ca5"},{"bytes":7191,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7248802d26fbe65068220b97a0167b52f8b5d7d5c617ac9ba7563279c977a4f3"},{"bytes":6891,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4ef4b791fd2356f589e5437638d0604f425584fe8bb62ac79389726b5b8ffa53"},{"bytes":2765,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ace1074ee8f0ab539e2f9b5471aa1342d751adbbfd7e27a1052a8ff8a5106d10"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d0a9045f03f4141987e983e6f1ba3668acfcba7c4b84a3cd0afba0fec5562c9c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"65b41ee22a71f9e8a0c73603762503d82de7f2fcba4841c50fadbe0fdf573114"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101926"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101926
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101926

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4ef4b791fd2356f589e5437638d0604f425584fe8bb62ac79389726b5b8ffa53

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101926, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101926" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101926 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101926 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17359, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6a46822a10c3eaf40a65385af0cd3841f80ab95a5898423841e18249a9c65ca5" }, { "bytes": 7191, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7248802d26fbe65068220b97a0167b52f8b5d7d5c617ac9ba7563279c977a4f3" }, { "bytes": 6891, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4ef4b791fd2356f589e5437638d0604f425584fe8bb62ac79389726b5b8ffa53" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101926/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101926", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79d3-81ea-a293ea2e2ff2" } UBZmvGL5enwwXhAIFqmJBibpWwVS9h8WtTAK3I9gH5DdqwnCGCrw6QiSg2WAMZS4H7F7wcX+Wi+YruQ9tUzbBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: UBZmvGL5enwwXhAIFqmJBibpWwVS9h8WtTAK3I9gH5DdqwnCGCrw6QiSg2WAMZS4H7F7wcX+Wi+YruQ9tUzbBg== {"files":[{"bytes":18157,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6bdc9dc059ca068c226d233c0c70696c5de9572dbb5de032be8732c011b7bb4d"},{"bytes":7879,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"85cfbc5d205dd1ac33cae33cff070b2b2df625124c7df2f7b9bd3b44ef1199bb"},{"bytes":7576,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"087804c4605c40e7aacf6e816a90c06d99024f96b22a794d9a68629e5648207c"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bdb30fb8ec1aa1b6907f7d81ad407e16c04347a14391fcaee9690d84264c3663"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"927d9cdabfd5739bc9356b8d8e5b4fce6196d3b354eab35b33b5aaa538574d9a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0408e8781a1a493b7662ef8c3eeb168b93dd88da6c51a8b1533ab687d06c9393"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101927"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101927
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101927

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
087804c4605c40e7aacf6e816a90c06d99024f96b22a794d9a68629e5648207c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101927, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101927" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101927 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101927 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18157, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6bdc9dc059ca068c226d233c0c70696c5de9572dbb5de032be8732c011b7bb4d" }, { "bytes": 7879, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "85cfbc5d205dd1ac33cae33cff070b2b2df625124c7df2f7b9bd3b44ef1199bb" }, { "bytes": 7576, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "087804c4605c40e7aacf6e816a90c06d99024f96b22a794d9a68629e5648207c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101927/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101927", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7833-b2a4-5b8b65dfb3e9" } Edzt/1vgmUqVb7XqjYFCo2rMzyEB14hQqoLYrrLyL6NvHZaRCtH7UyB1rddhIn5O7fF6zzXI4sc6dD0qt6elCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Edzt/1vgmUqVb7XqjYFCo2rMzyEB14hQqoLYrrLyL6NvHZaRCtH7UyB1rddhIn5O7fF6zzXI4sc6dD0qt6elCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17908,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8ab67fa7f3499b8439a15d5ab88fd6acd0e155e00f6276de45456dc1a09de8e6"},{"bytes":7673,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a08db97394e55620e7c5f15dafc4c47b428e9f1f4f5f769e886268bf27c2c311"},{"bytes":7370,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8d642c0d2152eceaf50aa57ec989aa0339c5ac23204057edb676a4e98d73efd6"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4df13f2cda590b892372b0301b387da39c0337929b46eb29070573a544ae3aa3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9313f09eada176a2562b02d511e5dce0d2480df32544fbf4a89da88d5df3983d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5db5fe9b310239cff965d63d1c8489b365b52c6f82b812e65f6e528ea068bc19"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101928"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101928
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101928

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8d642c0d2152eceaf50aa57ec989aa0339c5ac23204057edb676a4e98d73efd6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101928, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101928" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101928 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101928 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17908, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8ab67fa7f3499b8439a15d5ab88fd6acd0e155e00f6276de45456dc1a09de8e6" }, { "bytes": 7673, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a08db97394e55620e7c5f15dafc4c47b428e9f1f4f5f769e886268bf27c2c311" }, { "bytes": 7370, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8d642c0d2152eceaf50aa57ec989aa0339c5ac23204057edb676a4e98d73efd6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101928/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101928", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-770f-bf1f-b321b5650f6f" } BCFPHIQGmSFaLBYzz3ClPh4gArZ6rvrHeF/SjxCHD3/i9fGQB5veakE9Ba0q17D/CYiq0j+3UD5/lOBUrhEECw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: BCFPHIQGmSFaLBYzz3ClPh4gArZ6rvrHeF/SjxCHD3/i9fGQB5veakE9Ba0q17D/CYiq0j+3UD5/lOBUrhEECw== {"files":[{"bytes":17454,"name":"index.html","sha256":"58e022b0c18b4b9c36ee78ca0e1fc0ecfd81b3dfe957fd6a9a4fa48e40f121ef"},{"bytes":7276,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"01a28f835949d3daa53a7448dee5b68c7e62bf4c3a5ef9ef3ffd65c3bd399d7e"},{"bytes":6971,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bd4beda1d86c9a146ba99df97bd44072ffee16cefd4b3b62791c5256585239c0"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b5867a5328db9c30c46f21ee41e0dd3e4700af3bf549650e758b963e2bc32c50"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"90122259ac74ebcf313e8613011650fd8e257f0eb025f872adb09e49625067d9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8e7f8e0650b0f2d485b73014fc7b9da95a0afe9d34b9e36fabcc0cb8dcb32728"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101929"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101929
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101929

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
bd4beda1d86c9a146ba99df97bd44072ffee16cefd4b3b62791c5256585239c0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101929, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101929.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101929" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101929" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101929 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101929 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101929 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101929 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101930

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
25bf72b918c068a3933fa43f0d189552a5093101137a483a9d2391faa2001b32

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101930, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101930" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101930 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101930 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18252, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9597a458f84a47eb164dad2f79760e5ec86c66d0ed59dc2333b5e08f984ce05e" }, { "bytes": 7964, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d391bf85d9f8cfae8db473aba481bc62d0b59af1581516d6793988287d3c6b38" }, { "bytes": 7656, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "25bf72b918c068a3933fa43f0d189552a5093101137a483a9d2391faa2001b32" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101930/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101930", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-78a9-9375-482e24c9a1ee" } t9qHZJPfR1cdhQdFjsczJ8jRI9T/1mRqQ5ZMGMbNRvKMcVTyijrqwmCM2hWZRVerREdFNd6YdKOxSOLs5BJEAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: t9qHZJPfR1cdhQdFjsczJ8jRI9T/1mRqQ5ZMGMbNRvKMcVTyijrqwmCM2hWZRVerREdFNd6YdKOxSOLs5BJEAw== {"files":[{"bytes":18003,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2fee28e3789ddfe19bd0b35c84ef7f92b94ea3907286989f0d0865bddb02108d"},{"bytes":7758,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"436aa993697b27cd4915fadf612b138e4e435a398e9385907c0b61ec23378d44"},{"bytes":7450,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"540259bad231a87832f8a6aa8351724f93aa2b61c94a5bbbeadb5d94b768e708"},{"bytes":2780,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"822e55b042f60c08a1316b2ba5208e153c2f75884c85da68038799eed850d407"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"23e1da33d6a14eef89e8574fee80e875190068561ba8ece394a4eef0f50628d8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9bf5f406ec790f2b18d4034a51f17fa23a414faafc4257648031671e637f82b6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101931"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101931
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101931

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
540259bad231a87832f8a6aa8351724f93aa2b61c94a5bbbeadb5d94b768e708

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101931, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101931" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101931 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101931 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18003, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2fee28e3789ddfe19bd0b35c84ef7f92b94ea3907286989f0d0865bddb02108d" }, { "bytes": 7758, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "436aa993697b27cd4915fadf612b138e4e435a398e9385907c0b61ec23378d44" }, { "bytes": 7450, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "540259bad231a87832f8a6aa8351724f93aa2b61c94a5bbbeadb5d94b768e708" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101931/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101931", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7b41-b695-1191c9f153c6" } hkYMbSezjczXCD988b9fk3gETYh+xEym+EBcSRVG9nMOoqyxgTJobFc+bU4HwjJHCAlmLnnTYVkR7r6OLvF9Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: hkYMbSezjczXCD988b9fk3gETYh+xEym+EBcSRVG9nMOoqyxgTJobFc+bU4HwjJHCAlmLnnTYVkR7r6OLvF9Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":17455,"name":"index.html","sha256":"65c822708e13841f0c01ad5fc6fc205027613e59b963e4d00e755015ffd68924"},{"bytes":7277,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8dd03d3e0e53044c59e62c623dee2a05aab0652583ffc8b2d5356c3b489fc507"},{"bytes":6972,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"026eba044bd81f18f7ac0e5e4aa007678cb7bc3eefd5ad316065d8d123bbc45a"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"221fd50dbdde25cd01941ccfe8065c641449ebca4bb59d71490fa907764b0ab4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8d713b82d6c0b8088d0c972da9252efe0f261f22aca23449de11271db4589f5f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"224006bf1a9a49e934610e90ba08868f4beb71a41e0caa47e3d32ec0cd5689b4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101932"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101932
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101932

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
026eba044bd81f18f7ac0e5e4aa007678cb7bc3eefd5ad316065d8d123bbc45a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101932, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101932" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101932 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101932 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17455, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "65c822708e13841f0c01ad5fc6fc205027613e59b963e4d00e755015ffd68924" }, { "bytes": 7277, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8dd03d3e0e53044c59e62c623dee2a05aab0652583ffc8b2d5356c3b489fc507" }, { "bytes": 6972, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "026eba044bd81f18f7ac0e5e4aa007678cb7bc3eefd5ad316065d8d123bbc45a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101932/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101932", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c50-9f1d-66bc2541beee" } EAoczTJTaYD1Nh9qvc3lDyXvVHjfA8ZrjGaZCgmMoz36wsAc0KlO6rJn2IeaVWvXlkYfF6d18rOMQsvaYWtYAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: EAoczTJTaYD1Nh9qvc3lDyXvVHjfA8ZrjGaZCgmMoz36wsAc0KlO6rJn2IeaVWvXlkYfF6d18rOMQsvaYWtYAA== {"files":[{"bytes":18253,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e696924e0c79078cc33f43780854f71998d9a3f0bc8cba0463bebaf55d08baa5"},{"bytes":7965,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f37f38a032c607632d3a248fbd3867195efd145fc8cef965613571594c983233"},{"bytes":7657,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7c0eab0c625da768002aabc86d19f907e4a7f52ff79740d87f67b3512c753df0"},{"bytes":2780,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d92d7542a8b333cf73284573239965c22060c3f271c9e25bc24eefa5673fb766"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"177d3d28b569ad8def5aafe78e4d996c9a04148b33cf6728741d68d700971d0c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7bf7a89565b029249b3a7d43e999df522eb435efc0bec462cad4647b6b4113f3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101933"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101933
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101933

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7c0eab0c625da768002aabc86d19f907e4a7f52ff79740d87f67b3512c753df0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101933, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101933" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101933 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101933 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18253, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e696924e0c79078cc33f43780854f71998d9a3f0bc8cba0463bebaf55d08baa5" }, { "bytes": 7965, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f37f38a032c607632d3a248fbd3867195efd145fc8cef965613571594c983233" }, { "bytes": 7657, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7c0eab0c625da768002aabc86d19f907e4a7f52ff79740d87f67b3512c753df0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101933/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101933", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-76c9-8cf5-8b3517012fcf" } W7+quQEjIg30WFWhkXdllafCMTPlsWqTA1neCDAlo9RShX4kRFF9mtZW8+oaf5A4O5x5bXq4so253Hd+jq9kDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: W7+quQEjIg30WFWhkXdllafCMTPlsWqTA1neCDAlo9RShX4kRFF9mtZW8+oaf5A4O5x5bXq4so253Hd+jq9kDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18004,"name":"index.html","sha256":"743144d05544ecacae26b731396ce0f2b3a275ba23ade96b04992c26025996d1"},{"bytes":7759,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fc745463b05820ad9cceb92742b4386ff15d8ccb7069a3119bd46102b95f32c5"},{"bytes":7451,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2ca94e82a6f8df3e5312a86319bf5ba21db1627042cb36723a1618d7d3b23771"},{"bytes":2780,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"edd12c5c6e4fd3ee593db3b52ac34baa81dc34779d1f7004ef8d5db2d33377f9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"88b33f273e0781704712155b02d609c2055bbabbe200db594ef166b62ea07df1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1198c92d6b5972e20a19151845db211d86bcd599429b1e24cbc9d0bf6e045569"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101934"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101934
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101934

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2ca94e82a6f8df3e5312a86319bf5ba21db1627042cb36723a1618d7d3b23771

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101934, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101934" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101934 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101934 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18004, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "743144d05544ecacae26b731396ce0f2b3a275ba23ade96b04992c26025996d1" }, { "bytes": 7759, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fc745463b05820ad9cceb92742b4386ff15d8ccb7069a3119bd46102b95f32c5" }, { "bytes": 7451, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2ca94e82a6f8df3e5312a86319bf5ba21db1627042cb36723a1618d7d3b23771" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101934/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101934", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-77f6-afa0-eae0b535c706" } f85oSvgeo7ZxJHJ04Ww9+mMfQJmI1P42FhzFjhks5zMvhRyIDGejiJMYLWLpcvPHOytFLupa7JZ2MDXEwK9lBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: f85oSvgeo7ZxJHJ04Ww9+mMfQJmI1P42FhzFjhks5zMvhRyIDGejiJMYLWLpcvPHOytFLupa7JZ2MDXEwK9lBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17459,"name":"index.html","sha256":"18de4db0bf2fdcbcc7454659718557132e197ae9bcdf2314e3eadd697fab1270"},{"bytes":7281,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5ce40adbba5cf93790e88cf733184992454183dbc160767c93dc6cf82cf70702"},{"bytes":6976,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2e1c3de9a92e160a374234c087a48576322ca9ac43ec48ac40177c3195e38e8e"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c1383d4ae6efca58f331fa451caa8bba671211b7ca5737596b767bb31c2d91a9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3c29c50258b398e7551379b00e8a4eb6ff04c4486b35c9acd6d79d03ab0e8ce1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"65f64e541bcda1a26664743f9c25bad010a84428abd4f6ca8ec568b89d96f405"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101935"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101935
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101935

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2e1c3de9a92e160a374234c087a48576322ca9ac43ec48ac40177c3195e38e8e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101935, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101935" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101935 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101935 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17459, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "18de4db0bf2fdcbcc7454659718557132e197ae9bcdf2314e3eadd697fab1270" }, { "bytes": 7281, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5ce40adbba5cf93790e88cf733184992454183dbc160767c93dc6cf82cf70702" }, { "bytes": 6976, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2e1c3de9a92e160a374234c087a48576322ca9ac43ec48ac40177c3195e38e8e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101935/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101935", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7cf7-bcd0-474b3ca87a16" } 35MiJSVpKOfKjnBa76UUG3aBn4LOiBL0/6yp0dWWGuzq7Hfxi4G4xKznkIplzxTUEM0iqUn5xmX+Ba9+X0ZQBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 35MiJSVpKOfKjnBa76UUG3aBn4LOiBL0/6yp0dWWGuzq7Hfxi4G4xKznkIplzxTUEM0iqUn5xmX+Ba9+X0ZQBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18257,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1f561eaeab7c94758192a6dc79342d9d5373b2ea6d0303b5bca8af0834c467bf"},{"bytes":7969,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e339684c30f901bc358f0c490ad7cddee13bdfdaacdb58b650462514b461c6e4"},{"bytes":7661,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7a55a794a2e96f68d1be45efaa656eeda23bfe37dc9b3f7a041469861aa990bf"},{"bytes":2780,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0cfe2c55bef320dba54f72380324687a545fddc467572e5510fb08ef6a3b8d1e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"07cc2343800ce29d491e751ceed5cf80199cee6ce2ac48c1467e2e4ba268e242"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c5b3fddfa5929db9470976d006deadad1415eb4813d148b2c864f82661fb905b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101936"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101936
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101936

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7a55a794a2e96f68d1be45efaa656eeda23bfe37dc9b3f7a041469861aa990bf

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101936, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101936" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101936 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101936 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18257, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1f561eaeab7c94758192a6dc79342d9d5373b2ea6d0303b5bca8af0834c467bf" }, { "bytes": 7969, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e339684c30f901bc358f0c490ad7cddee13bdfdaacdb58b650462514b461c6e4" }, { "bytes": 7661, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7a55a794a2e96f68d1be45efaa656eeda23bfe37dc9b3f7a041469861aa990bf" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101936/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101936", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7702-af8c-fc7c8eeb3318" } 21vJu7woXi/rMyBJyBlTuMWScAj5Ew86ZtujtzVsx4LCO/22UKmbGmnZY9qFdxBl0Tj42qr1VLtDnFEiOPTFCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 21vJu7woXi/rMyBJyBlTuMWScAj5Ew86ZtujtzVsx4LCO/22UKmbGmnZY9qFdxBl0Tj42qr1VLtDnFEiOPTFCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18008,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0fb34600a27681666270b0d32fa0dfb9ca3b417a2f8ac8a62ffd15575db58346"},{"bytes":7763,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1774a8808c4a8ae64805cf88571de1e65708a7efd8f9871fd7d5a50ebb05d843"},{"bytes":7455,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1f98f1766ed80fd5d446d02b93427a8dd003f8f830bcf8f452546d02eae77ec2"},{"bytes":2780,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b5425a32fa54d690428c4b21cc7441fb5ccab947a624ca652a53b5fa09fab908"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5c4a91e9fbd5e3a80323c4d2ea6f110e93670859e207e263efe17b95f1da97b0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"67e261f64cbf00f286eef955c94c06af593e808ddac5ca04d7ee0340a43a44b2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101937"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101937
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101937

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1f98f1766ed80fd5d446d02b93427a8dd003f8f830bcf8f452546d02eae77ec2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101937, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101937" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101937 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101937 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18008, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0fb34600a27681666270b0d32fa0dfb9ca3b417a2f8ac8a62ffd15575db58346" }, { "bytes": 7763, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1774a8808c4a8ae64805cf88571de1e65708a7efd8f9871fd7d5a50ebb05d843" }, { "bytes": 7455, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1f98f1766ed80fd5d446d02b93427a8dd003f8f830bcf8f452546d02eae77ec2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101937/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101937", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7085-994c-e549401875ef" } 5iB48YwEzk5e/YpbaSaz4Sbaojpdtu6obRj92obA1m9gmw4G9cy9zThzANikr8nTYYbuanX9rkyYGtzQE9LfBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 5iB48YwEzk5e/YpbaSaz4Sbaojpdtu6obRj92obA1m9gmw4G9cy9zThzANikr8nTYYbuanX9rkyYGtzQE9LfBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17632,"name":"index.html","sha256":"380836678a347755275baea003219b523b2403dbb3ede77f70d2cbb91a446a41"},{"bytes":7426,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0b2c221cf280bbd779aaf70de504ea7ac1b23e44704b57369ced14cb6ba1bdd0"},{"bytes":7133,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fd3bf8adb426f0c0f898449ba351c071f8391311492c8ddfc9c6009f2b0bbcee"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a837bef27d1767e40794c2b6cb2fad765a5d061f7c6929ddc7813dc1ebee4064"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"af7ad923fa064ef7953c04f9b0bbf18b69ade8903dde789c49f5fdc6a76676ee"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fd6b7d9b6133ee4e10a0ed544ea4b501ff09becc877acc6be6903c2251bf5227"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101938"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101938
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101938

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
fd3bf8adb426f0c0f898449ba351c071f8391311492c8ddfc9c6009f2b0bbcee

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101938, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101938" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101938 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101938 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17632, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "380836678a347755275baea003219b523b2403dbb3ede77f70d2cbb91a446a41" }, { "bytes": 7426, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0b2c221cf280bbd779aaf70de504ea7ac1b23e44704b57369ced14cb6ba1bdd0" }, { "bytes": 7133, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fd3bf8adb426f0c0f898449ba351c071f8391311492c8ddfc9c6009f2b0bbcee" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101938/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101938", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7921-8393-1c4f77fcfdcb" } tgumiY4zua09ahyAcGWhx9vksaZh3sTL8VRc6zLofoLi+TQmC1gJ3hTWMBcfmRozdLJRGYezleAeRR1jt0y5Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tgumiY4zua09ahyAcGWhx9vksaZh3sTL8VRc6zLofoLi+TQmC1gJ3hTWMBcfmRozdLJRGYezleAeRR1jt0y5Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":18430,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fa27b5e5d4189a97ced960f96b9a73a4ac1246d95365b4f9c1071e2448d7e775"},{"bytes":8114,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"425cb5c281632d6ed085e7b7f4e36a11fe8ff876d22add5ba52e91f697c8dff8"},{"bytes":7818,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0818cb87f6fab65b1e455b724d1729901b3a72226322cf9f79a9d829ab680742"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"28be7ec58fe048c368ff1ce86adec20087b500d4ff5d7a8246057a681792ff10"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6ad039f3ad84c202ebd679f490074d2a6c45dd6e21bf1aac9ffe8603d176dd07"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"01b562657b6a0a4c9ccb0deec174dee95988d68b51aa1bb9c98691daea0f6148"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101939"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101939
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101939

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0818cb87f6fab65b1e455b724d1729901b3a72226322cf9f79a9d829ab680742

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101939, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101939" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101939 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101939 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18430, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fa27b5e5d4189a97ced960f96b9a73a4ac1246d95365b4f9c1071e2448d7e775" }, { "bytes": 8114, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "425cb5c281632d6ed085e7b7f4e36a11fe8ff876d22add5ba52e91f697c8dff8" }, { "bytes": 7818, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0818cb87f6fab65b1e455b724d1729901b3a72226322cf9f79a9d829ab680742" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101939/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101939", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7729-b808-2f01464d4d58" } CqQT8JQFZ+5TvfCi6LB4JeL4c7RfUZ0gcP+PxwBp9gzzXYrXfjD7BejL32nXhiLlp/9ibMl1ytksQ5GA1cRjAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CqQT8JQFZ+5TvfCi6LB4JeL4c7RfUZ0gcP+PxwBp9gzzXYrXfjD7BejL32nXhiLlp/9ibMl1ytksQ5GA1cRjAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18181,"name":"index.html","sha256":"16131ae5587baf69b594052acc60f50a26fed32e773a2299b5988beee8419e86"},{"bytes":7908,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"be15f31592c5792b17f07369a58dda3f17a9bafbad76bd53f235740b58beafb7"},{"bytes":7612,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d200118d12f274fa53cb34188ce057a28b9da6250d576064a80d9ac3877228bb"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3bd18be94bc16b0a3933741579b9cc25940051ff1c071214b5861cd1d622225d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2589317147934590b23cb8cbc06caf5a387ab10ebf3491b837dca2d3bff44d51"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b041397c3221588473a99e0c90c901eb951c4af480a5c0e35c2f6575baaa4ad8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101940"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101940
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101940

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d200118d12f274fa53cb34188ce057a28b9da6250d576064a80d9ac3877228bb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101940, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101940" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101940 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101940 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18181, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "16131ae5587baf69b594052acc60f50a26fed32e773a2299b5988beee8419e86" }, { "bytes": 7908, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "be15f31592c5792b17f07369a58dda3f17a9bafbad76bd53f235740b58beafb7" }, { "bytes": 7612, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d200118d12f274fa53cb34188ce057a28b9da6250d576064a80d9ac3877228bb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101940/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101940", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79cb-982e-87d9d7b27b0e" } vDBCFstOWj2ItC2mcTOvJA18ImPI7jHebW4UhC96RbwXxAzeh1v2vr7yYSydaEJH6AxcdmLw5JSCxGwuHB0SCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vDBCFstOWj2ItC2mcTOvJA18ImPI7jHebW4UhC96RbwXxAzeh1v2vr7yYSydaEJH6AxcdmLw5JSCxGwuHB0SCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17578,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ef26cc5a15dc41d099484af5d90ee3a40bfe0f6ab46e46ad9f55ca6bd5f7b9bd"},{"bytes":7372,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a382f3e3c56da1bb33256acdb929e27832deba3ed6578d6e51f0e2ab6e7e799a"},{"bytes":7079,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6dd4cc46add10db8fcd56188ef1368bc61bbe82de261c5a337c47bff8ec511f5"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e5b0eb7f246833afc7710df2c7ab0254e30555b5fbda188a5666e8df3c0c4618"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"55893ff838e0cc1178f7741c51d4d32ca92751c357aa08795f93d5324a3c44e1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fa4fa25934bc3b5a0bd3d56ddb3d03fe5a3e945e612501155cb951c9f91dba36"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101941"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101941
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101941

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6dd4cc46add10db8fcd56188ef1368bc61bbe82de261c5a337c47bff8ec511f5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101941, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101941.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101941" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101941" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101941 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101941 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101941 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101941 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101942

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
335496c79d708f7ca1ae688440715da0796e8576e867bdfe01287439252462d8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101942, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101942" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101942 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101942 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18376, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9510b2a80c9bda2df98972f23336fa5b9a070ad141df03c47b81c5339f17cad9" }, { "bytes": 8060, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5713a31ba9cf9a66f6983cf57e7d0d69c5b71d0b458657160cd17d15e2908542" }, { "bytes": 7764, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "335496c79d708f7ca1ae688440715da0796e8576e867bdfe01287439252462d8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101942/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101942", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7428-873a-942ceba517dd" } 1Hp1ok+1jNWxVr4rwMeTl5/u328AhVaDchgaIFadI9byAQAWKRUc1GwYvj79RH9woJz0ffhFSbh3pupUaJAJBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 1Hp1ok+1jNWxVr4rwMeTl5/u328AhVaDchgaIFadI9byAQAWKRUc1GwYvj79RH9woJz0ffhFSbh3pupUaJAJBA== {"files":[{"bytes":18127,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0c38c42994c7c98a2681a70e33994ab8b9b0f865762ab923d1043dc0e48852ef"},{"bytes":7854,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"37bddbbbb484d85aa5eab78f774ad146eef60fbf51066db10561dd9c733384e7"},{"bytes":7558,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"60e36ec80b7d83809db3cfe023d4d95d631900209fd436aa1b5ef5fc2625f086"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5b841b5d2dbf57e7a128b2f9f4b48ba821b60a91d12d493f4a75246848950687"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bb01403062bd1cafad16178777fb04f3e551467cad97388d1855ad7cb44209a0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"df224b07267bc070e0874244bd1ebc8b1fee7995ddeedd3e38f3a5be5880b8c3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101943"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101943
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101943

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
60e36ec80b7d83809db3cfe023d4d95d631900209fd436aa1b5ef5fc2625f086

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101943, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101943.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101943" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101943" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101943 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101943 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101943 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101943 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101944

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8021bb426a4dcf1d0ccfd83b1578f1d3be680ade9822b2d887b69344dbc801a3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101944, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101944" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101944 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101944 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17348, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fd638f450317ec69c6e078df03d82205004f7bdea39773607bcbcc0bcaacc038" }, { "bytes": 7186, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "976d902955a6473fc30d03c33c7dd1546b99f0e39c85f5985044e95a0c12628d" }, { "bytes": 6889, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8021bb426a4dcf1d0ccfd83b1578f1d3be680ade9822b2d887b69344dbc801a3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101944/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101944", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-771c-bb7f-93c8a8cb8639" } wTpL3nyGV9F9T3d38hOB4cGWkl5ZsdP9dPR4zuXze8GEmT/97ogsse2p0+3qyxQvWh3JThWhJOITKAGvxP8pCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: wTpL3nyGV9F9T3d38hOB4cGWkl5ZsdP9dPR4zuXze8GEmT/97ogsse2p0+3qyxQvWh3JThWhJOITKAGvxP8pCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18146,"name":"index.html","sha256":"35ac0f22d424261295f00b044af0035c7fe179dd5f287571fb35eefd2f632038"},{"bytes":7874,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c9c714820242bce4a4793c566925578ab162ea891261d5333ca3f21a77831cc9"},{"bytes":7574,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d405cb704169058c75632ed4b5446f2972ff88dfd5a7125c817f48e6e8712346"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"00f282288af132ae4d0369648fff1e29d1ffd19ff42789ec311986123bfea426"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a8448ab43b0191b9d56d3deb68d722af29e2414b9e8aa5d10092ae2d946d98f3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"18e1df7379978327fed0948d53f692f38050961a265e6eeff0411ab26cdcdef3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101945"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101945
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101945

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d405cb704169058c75632ed4b5446f2972ff88dfd5a7125c817f48e6e8712346

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101945, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101945" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101945 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101945 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18146, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "35ac0f22d424261295f00b044af0035c7fe179dd5f287571fb35eefd2f632038" }, { "bytes": 7874, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c9c714820242bce4a4793c566925578ab162ea891261d5333ca3f21a77831cc9" }, { "bytes": 7574, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d405cb704169058c75632ed4b5446f2972ff88dfd5a7125c817f48e6e8712346" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101945/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101945", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-78eb-9744-192047987341" } ax00bOUYCuOXcKHhKS2yF+mghKONcfSl3kMay0RTFqVB4cPO/14aO1i6OoJJotni4nQoDtdpJCKpIvANTFhlBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ax00bOUYCuOXcKHhKS2yF+mghKONcfSl3kMay0RTFqVB4cPO/14aO1i6OoJJotni4nQoDtdpJCKpIvANTFhlBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17897,"name":"index.html","sha256":"02ca9ba73a39e62602e14244865233eb3051448adee9a9e9c5d0e09609cde8e5"},{"bytes":7668,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3e99cea0c562b5d9ae7ff0b7ab3dd97748758e33213c41501c3efdd74438ffbf"},{"bytes":7368,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2ce092565871e4cc938bdf17775ce0fd919be347afbb02c3560fbd1f015843d1"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d1add9e0c5a0096781520f39b93349939684562415d51508283a9fd567e73eb0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0db7ab5734e7a2221f6132eb985b61c3e04fc7cd356bf895d616077342f2082a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"246201d25362e9c67ac826146473d6c8e046c45829886dc95fd0893b12e2cc66"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101946"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101946
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101946

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2ce092565871e4cc938bdf17775ce0fd919be347afbb02c3560fbd1f015843d1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101946, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101946" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101946 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101946 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17897, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "02ca9ba73a39e62602e14244865233eb3051448adee9a9e9c5d0e09609cde8e5" }, { "bytes": 7668, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3e99cea0c562b5d9ae7ff0b7ab3dd97748758e33213c41501c3efdd74438ffbf" }, { "bytes": 7368, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2ce092565871e4cc938bdf17775ce0fd919be347afbb02c3560fbd1f015843d1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101946/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101946", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7580-8c99-4d77fa225b5b" } Tuf5RKAJBbcqByxYSItDp1vmvvd+IVDb4QfEXtBjAZAdv+tkIXXJ6LO4b5ksExnL6BzXBN3/Id80pVhkf2b4Ag== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Tuf5RKAJBbcqByxYSItDp1vmvvd+IVDb4QfEXtBjAZAdv+tkIXXJ6LO4b5ksExnL6BzXBN3/Id80pVhkf2b4Ag== {"files":[{"bytes":17348,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cbcfa044b37e079c15966dc4532f8089155c43e348bfa3ab176d95a347ee41ad"},{"bytes":7186,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6323c81d7b3d700e92cc3825b644d373059b148d65161ca64f70a0a632355e45"},{"bytes":6889,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"60b7d6b1419bb264a61c60263b49e5a8f4ff7d50992de12d97dc3e3f7675dfc8"},{"bytes":2762,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ed0de9be6faa427fb9201dd667301d7735f34ba17eed597492f960e7dff3f8d7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d0cfcf619fa91d29b526ac6bc0b2f1c4d10c8daeb14c41224000b133b1eb747e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9f83c770c35aff2dc0f5fc99941b8783f84d476d50668361f14d945c422dc43b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101947"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101947
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101947

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
60b7d6b1419bb264a61c60263b49e5a8f4ff7d50992de12d97dc3e3f7675dfc8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101947, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101947" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101947 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101947 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17348, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cbcfa044b37e079c15966dc4532f8089155c43e348bfa3ab176d95a347ee41ad" }, { "bytes": 7186, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6323c81d7b3d700e92cc3825b644d373059b148d65161ca64f70a0a632355e45" }, { "bytes": 6889, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "60b7d6b1419bb264a61c60263b49e5a8f4ff7d50992de12d97dc3e3f7675dfc8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101947/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101947", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7d92-9dab-ebbb1be413d5" } +iP2h/t4AHIxfXfNciTk2v/2lpCS88iVFYqbKGMTQsRBYFrIObVva5dRCBTmvKR3+0MNyjKE1I/kyKdkyC7SAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +iP2h/t4AHIxfXfNciTk2v/2lpCS88iVFYqbKGMTQsRBYFrIObVva5dRCBTmvKR3+0MNyjKE1I/kyKdkyC7SAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18146,"name":"index.html","sha256":"eb749e3ecd45eae2db3432540f423fc69759876c11a7fe77703e1c63c5e1d835"},{"bytes":7874,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e3e02ae1a5193f8baead6ff6bb57618445a69344e464ee3acba1447a77e2e419"},{"bytes":7574,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d50ae05629cf25d2be21c9a2d6d5366e5a1d1e4cefa24d66e3ebf1a00ecd1610"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ee8e1424a084995412770529322c43340d11fe9a0f13c7ee1d9df94c9a0006f7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4375865daeb87b120303fba60463eb1a4d649b47ef848c38c5d7b8cc520adddc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"39a2e9b0666f6c2ba8e2a99eb12784680bf68e75f7bd3f712ee954c1087c9c45"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101948"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101948
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101948

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d50ae05629cf25d2be21c9a2d6d5366e5a1d1e4cefa24d66e3ebf1a00ecd1610

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101948, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101948" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101948 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101948 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18146, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "eb749e3ecd45eae2db3432540f423fc69759876c11a7fe77703e1c63c5e1d835" }, { "bytes": 7874, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e3e02ae1a5193f8baead6ff6bb57618445a69344e464ee3acba1447a77e2e419" }, { "bytes": 7574, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d50ae05629cf25d2be21c9a2d6d5366e5a1d1e4cefa24d66e3ebf1a00ecd1610" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101948/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101948", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7bef-bfad-bd5175dfd2fe" } 6q6nAtxF51SJkoFGZdD6Yes2TWDYW+/m/pEmgrgCRco272Vr/btQvDwU9oJrQESaYZUPFiA1roPWflrqeRgfAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6q6nAtxF51SJkoFGZdD6Yes2TWDYW+/m/pEmgrgCRco272Vr/btQvDwU9oJrQESaYZUPFiA1roPWflrqeRgfAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17897,"name":"index.html","sha256":"22d127646572d97b392dffab473fc6c9d2e46de5373bfdc2ff1e389241505deb"},{"bytes":7668,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"52829b2c68db0d9398d7ccd831f4087c0fb45cdb3814a9a2d3c7e66e24009ebb"},{"bytes":7368,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d52a9e225a6eae361edefca052e3233575c6636a33ee08ea372a3e89c8967c41"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"11dac0bfff712403d4c55d31429d3774dc3e39b5aa4a1b8e9a42cad3404d02dc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"af672e3caf97aea8e730a9ca8d1d36232633b2dcfdeeade022ae83dcc41b080c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9234152f5ebb45a8f2f9d1bd51536b67c9d5d68ae0cf31447c227d0d2a59a4e4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101949"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101949
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101949

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d52a9e225a6eae361edefca052e3233575c6636a33ee08ea372a3e89c8967c41

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101949, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101949" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101949 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101949 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17897, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "22d127646572d97b392dffab473fc6c9d2e46de5373bfdc2ff1e389241505deb" }, { "bytes": 7668, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "52829b2c68db0d9398d7ccd831f4087c0fb45cdb3814a9a2d3c7e66e24009ebb" }, { "bytes": 7368, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d52a9e225a6eae361edefca052e3233575c6636a33ee08ea372a3e89c8967c41" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101949/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101949", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7351-a556-efd7ea23ecb1" } qUqtAJVkHpbjkQU1vIRI0saAFL86PHGleL4uXt2FtXzRmGtRq0pgtIVr/DiHqWFxfLmiLDipCb7EAah699WTBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: qUqtAJVkHpbjkQU1vIRI0saAFL86PHGleL4uXt2FtXzRmGtRq0pgtIVr/DiHqWFxfLmiLDipCb7EAah699WTBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17466,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c0e59ba55fede8fc2ff0c1d4e564e551dbecd0a7a7b2ed434320f1dd27138d1f"},{"bytes":7284,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a1906454de4c3b8071e19b923862c2bed9380f566a6a6535b2511d5379a33b13"},{"bytes":6977,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e42447a66a5a8b2996100773bda1a02af00c9242fbe85642f5e731fdcff3771b"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"adae12ebfaf50286df95b09eca41d44cbf8e88b5d1f2281b6ea8cc01ad40cb77"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6e0ac2923f3d4fe99157fac0ec918f3ba693b4da5e68f525008ee58e8c49d076"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"36a11bbf292143de48981fe7560b5d3070f7ba71b31266d05960066fa1e7729c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101950"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101950
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101950

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e42447a66a5a8b2996100773bda1a02af00c9242fbe85642f5e731fdcff3771b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101950, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101950.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101950" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101950" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101950 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101950 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101950 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101950 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101951

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5bfaa1339ba4a4a8fc7498e15f3773229ec250fa7a09c62a0db172352d6c5f2f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101951, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101951.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101951" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101951" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101951 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101951 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101951 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101951 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101952

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
bda38ac7a1fb6801dc31fd22969b5e0467e8e10668b745126c3c99cce31830a8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101952, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101952" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101952 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101952 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18015, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "571774c1f793e3288ea850665a8bd4813bba0d1d29e02386d5eccb5ec888045d" }, { "bytes": 7766, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "604b41047be9f877ef0fcd2cb3fa14bc0d752871808e9a4c5f1e2f3c1ff5373c" }, { "bytes": 7456, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bda38ac7a1fb6801dc31fd22969b5e0467e8e10668b745126c3c99cce31830a8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101952/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101952", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7407-a4c1-e67694277943" } p2PPKEk0kibv/FrtE2id4ZGUAw/5UnAA+1n08YClnIs7oD+gvQw9ns4oV1O8XM/CAK4XNFC58akw8enr7bjTBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: p2PPKEk0kibv/FrtE2id4ZGUAw/5UnAA+1n08YClnIs7oD+gvQw9ns4oV1O8XM/CAK4XNFC58akw8enr7bjTBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17467,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f3b8d864e9629336f985097014bfab8885e703e7c13002517d1ae8d38844f8eb"},{"bytes":7285,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c40a87e7e0d1673adeae55f78b80244bbd688a8b451d45aaee2954186e23c917"},{"bytes":6978,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"be1a0af05668a310cf427967058d0338d6ba03f5147cb23c95aa9b2f68dfd2c3"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ef6dc65f75b3ed7518bbf93caaf938f664518acee07d00290e752a0d002156c0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f3a98c1f686f0407478c48492c9497ecdae91bb0e66006427bf58cb3d2c130ae"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5fe107e896454e9f5fe35251694a77a9f2d6761de10a7c539c22d1d230bd5859"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101953"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101953
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101953

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
be1a0af05668a310cf427967058d0338d6ba03f5147cb23c95aa9b2f68dfd2c3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101953, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101953" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101953 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101953 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17467, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f3b8d864e9629336f985097014bfab8885e703e7c13002517d1ae8d38844f8eb" }, { "bytes": 7285, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c40a87e7e0d1673adeae55f78b80244bbd688a8b451d45aaee2954186e23c917" }, { "bytes": 6978, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "be1a0af05668a310cf427967058d0338d6ba03f5147cb23c95aa9b2f68dfd2c3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101953/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101953", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c8a-9651-efa2c8b7078b" } gfw5Zt3k5Rv5dqnWoy+zBvrxn2otCe38kvANt6TeA4/eTcZSDDF3uUNRqcP9bYlw2fsUmfRvzVLgXFbVEnsiBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: gfw5Zt3k5Rv5dqnWoy+zBvrxn2otCe38kvANt6TeA4/eTcZSDDF3uUNRqcP9bYlw2fsUmfRvzVLgXFbVEnsiBw== {"files":[{"bytes":18265,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8cf618ef7fe165bf9db2cb227c89014932fb423b5216acc3345807c510843793"},{"bytes":7973,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"775160a1d5f62b210aa23db8d28fb103d404079e6c42b4a6d37c493edbda78ea"},{"bytes":7663,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fb3bae826c5f2382331048df3655e881dd684e4abf43300873b2451e030da367"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ba3b03121e27fbf3ef93e38759c0d78608a9b9697a7a9f0e6051fa0fcf77576a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9931878d56f4912b76305c369111bfe0e3775764e53dd15a3c324e6fa3de393c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d036b3f7ff5a2dab71221739bdb3cd39cd123c041235954a183ce023ea13c696"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101954"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101954
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101954

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fb3bae826c5f2382331048df3655e881dd684e4abf43300873b2451e030da367

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101954, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101954" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101954 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101954 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18265, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8cf618ef7fe165bf9db2cb227c89014932fb423b5216acc3345807c510843793" }, { "bytes": 7973, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "775160a1d5f62b210aa23db8d28fb103d404079e6c42b4a6d37c493edbda78ea" }, { "bytes": 7663, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fb3bae826c5f2382331048df3655e881dd684e4abf43300873b2451e030da367" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101954/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101954", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7a4a-9dd3-e934dd59354f" } cXcS88rhNONerGfS2nrXBErOI5BxUyXY5qpvAnhm4Q581B/h51nxCCxh+2TF0cidRFOdR2lIdBe87Qh3YmmfAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: cXcS88rhNONerGfS2nrXBErOI5BxUyXY5qpvAnhm4Q581B/h51nxCCxh+2TF0cidRFOdR2lIdBe87Qh3YmmfAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18016,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2bcaf4abafa66d033a6fc5a715ce7f91a2a6161756f07eb40e949a613ab4bc6b"},{"bytes":7767,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"98f659b800574df70154810d0d399ab636258f4a32691e926ffabb7b096db117"},{"bytes":7457,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e4a95926f5aa9b66c040bcd4856c48d7702946e26c6eb03a0f0094fdad7375d4"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"81eb577b6bad2e340d1f232311f9f2249cd41b7b1bde3e0c799a0979d57bf566"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6b19ad4b65e334241fc8d703de86e8d4d6e502912050e7f30112bbe469100b3f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fc047efbb10f3c261cbe6c08e846df772a6ec26b16970af887abc6e9b9cb3ef0"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101955"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101955
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101955

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e4a95926f5aa9b66c040bcd4856c48d7702946e26c6eb03a0f0094fdad7375d4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101955, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101955" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101955 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101955 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18016, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2bcaf4abafa66d033a6fc5a715ce7f91a2a6161756f07eb40e949a613ab4bc6b" }, { "bytes": 7767, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "98f659b800574df70154810d0d399ab636258f4a32691e926ffabb7b096db117" }, { "bytes": 7457, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e4a95926f5aa9b66c040bcd4856c48d7702946e26c6eb03a0f0094fdad7375d4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101955/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101955", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7d48-bee5-09ce8d1ea29f" } X7kE/Dzm1l2/W2UbY/lllpvH5ZpMlTHsuARIvWi1dU9qtDTJBb8CT3GHcIUx0/mz6XPg4LmTDZnFDeQHDtobDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: X7kE/Dzm1l2/W2UbY/lllpvH5ZpMlTHsuARIvWi1dU9qtDTJBb8CT3GHcIUx0/mz6XPg4LmTDZnFDeQHDtobDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17471,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a462f22693ef822b1810631690cece13e82cd7f30fd1d2bbbcbd59167981f228"},{"bytes":7289,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"136c45639d859e2ddefbe71e2514797a8471b72e9c80ff05e86c1694bc1c19f2"},{"bytes":6982,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e4436d137bcca4612c62742059ccb897c64f3165db7a969dbdd6d7e043e631ba"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"24da6b2349132b39883fca67a2f025ffe7f197e98f73e2b36ee540723c9106c9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"28a3901ef74c6747432f53e951be70ba8f5050ad3b16651f8cff2068e7d18fc1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3588618dcec25f324ff9a5d3dd29fcadd59166ff4a67c4e3b766be54197f2f1f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101956"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101956
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101956

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e4436d137bcca4612c62742059ccb897c64f3165db7a969dbdd6d7e043e631ba

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101956, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101956" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101956 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101956 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17471, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a462f22693ef822b1810631690cece13e82cd7f30fd1d2bbbcbd59167981f228" }, { "bytes": 7289, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "136c45639d859e2ddefbe71e2514797a8471b72e9c80ff05e86c1694bc1c19f2" }, { "bytes": 6982, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e4436d137bcca4612c62742059ccb897c64f3165db7a969dbdd6d7e043e631ba" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101956/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101956", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-77dc-9ed5-b4f26d047709" } /piR0ZYn1/lS9yqjPUBrZhorPvlfwxKfTPGglslOomaRlYTxi3IL3Mjg3hB5ZDspqi7aog/IdnVpj/lROk0kAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: /piR0ZYn1/lS9yqjPUBrZhorPvlfwxKfTPGglslOomaRlYTxi3IL3Mjg3hB5ZDspqi7aog/IdnVpj/lROk0kAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18269,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9dbe61753844b90a76ba221dfeafe79a102ef05406ad76f930684b064d3b8edf"},{"bytes":7977,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"54cb5395caa03d475d67ae2898796f4a38a9b20191a7e4e3316f48d8e1a0bc61"},{"bytes":7667,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5c35d512f5908a21fa4213b6e3fc53d59f88d5f3f8a0633677776922fc9f5db2"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"63c673ffb4ec6920ba1d647f44688dfec4f38e09c8a10b3bbd6fa9701ab847ab"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"cd6c4ed466fb1669200f8b2484f1b716745e50eba6e61328280a20ddb815c921"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7f8f185044fc9bf19864e937b902ad98ad0d72dbbc8dcac59967f7d5269ef811"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101957"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101957
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101957

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5c35d512f5908a21fa4213b6e3fc53d59f88d5f3f8a0633677776922fc9f5db2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101957, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101957" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101957 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101957 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18269, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9dbe61753844b90a76ba221dfeafe79a102ef05406ad76f930684b064d3b8edf" }, { "bytes": 7977, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "54cb5395caa03d475d67ae2898796f4a38a9b20191a7e4e3316f48d8e1a0bc61" }, { "bytes": 7667, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5c35d512f5908a21fa4213b6e3fc53d59f88d5f3f8a0633677776922fc9f5db2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101957/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101957", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-778c-bf79-51ec0c331006" } gTmVjUf9usHv49m/jlMfREExYPNiG+9boDWkI5LMg2apOA8O7Kp4rTEQkAUEUCYhyYjdR4BunfKJkvVU0Zx7BQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: gTmVjUf9usHv49m/jlMfREExYPNiG+9boDWkI5LMg2apOA8O7Kp4rTEQkAUEUCYhyYjdR4BunfKJkvVU0Zx7BQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18020,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2886e742b15929605de3d410be5ee560ccd8a39cb4025882fc99c5f8254d71bf"},{"bytes":7771,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ba1a2ccb72c1f0c6f4d3d66c11dc9198c9702560782ea3d5d90b4d3205caefc5"},{"bytes":7461,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"82e6380cea2c4d2157573510c7f40718c49ba18647e68944e59ff96abd6228f1"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f8ae714e2d1ce906c397cb666236b3ad76682b09880cd28bfd7743a2ad7cc485"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"282c64bde7c92dba78b66f958b3fc66cdd287bdb6956fe76cbf504d7f769d747"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"004d7eb6366402191427cb3888128546683821ea072d6efd8ba30e6f172c3d14"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101958"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101958
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101958

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
82e6380cea2c4d2157573510c7f40718c49ba18647e68944e59ff96abd6228f1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101958, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101958" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101958 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101958 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18020, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2886e742b15929605de3d410be5ee560ccd8a39cb4025882fc99c5f8254d71bf" }, { "bytes": 7771, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ba1a2ccb72c1f0c6f4d3d66c11dc9198c9702560782ea3d5d90b4d3205caefc5" }, { "bytes": 7461, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "82e6380cea2c4d2157573510c7f40718c49ba18647e68944e59ff96abd6228f1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101958/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101958", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7177-9545-da505f2e9dae" } ok34v0Y+DYQorXefV24eBxtkWiCMN+vwV+MjudFz/c9u5OJBKXFXdnpYGHWliieWaeAXYWvySPsFc9t8SfReAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ok34v0Y+DYQorXefV24eBxtkWiCMN+vwV+MjudFz/c9u5OJBKXFXdnpYGHWliieWaeAXYWvySPsFc9t8SfReAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17644,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1d48a9e946b910edd04af5343029cd2a2f9bde5a94d222a6a8cc5d0d3acc6ce8"},{"bytes":7434,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c14c4944060c9d033250446826ae1aa8932f85ad95cb171aa314a2b982aed603"},{"bytes":7139,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c34b3837fcfc0a6fd263bfc0ddbd67ce1f5e63c8762dc0a5561204624cfa9a94"},{"bytes":2748,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"37c9d5abccbc687862e385bb04b621c806697805897c8c9760458b027926c763"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"510a197bbcf98d3531e350a4548df823b69900c606b401434cc532acefc91f7b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6fc6c0b5f8e7a874403235fd6a37a3e07a28faef1bc2549d34b3fd0da59792af"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101959"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101959
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101959

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c34b3837fcfc0a6fd263bfc0ddbd67ce1f5e63c8762dc0a5561204624cfa9a94

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101959, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101959" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101959 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101959 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17644, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1d48a9e946b910edd04af5343029cd2a2f9bde5a94d222a6a8cc5d0d3acc6ce8" }, { "bytes": 7434, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c14c4944060c9d033250446826ae1aa8932f85ad95cb171aa314a2b982aed603" }, { "bytes": 7139, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c34b3837fcfc0a6fd263bfc0ddbd67ce1f5e63c8762dc0a5561204624cfa9a94" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101959/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101959", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7298-851a-cbcfebd6cb5f" } dQ6rTrbgA+8ak3Ky4hpuBGfnWk+HJwmN3SxMgtChLLuVOi9X3EaH4dFl8egyAkUGESe0MIlAaBIpo1CHAaYPCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: dQ6rTrbgA+8ak3Ky4hpuBGfnWk+HJwmN3SxMgtChLLuVOi9X3EaH4dFl8egyAkUGESe0MIlAaBIpo1CHAaYPCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18442,"name":"index.html","sha256":"828b74cdf73c3b1fadcc539486487c6509288c19d0886898281a087f004afec4"},{"bytes":8122,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c1d59285f6c661fae8d86aa2d50b374e8b102d94aabe3a1b033fe3740a9a44d6"},{"bytes":7824,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b76b252018d139b3eae3a8897439954f453e88201bb1e8a96837808e84f98ba0"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"194cf1d9559463f199b81734b4a54f61b761e1a6ef6c5dee6c59e2358813bbc9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8bc2ad57c8fa831fcc5ce4f07d62a0deb0c7416a8a11b4be0edf524c38557318"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9b449ec10c1dbb344775631d16fc92cca5b6e819fb3b9c6ff7bc4f6884e07324"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101960"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101960
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101960

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b76b252018d139b3eae3a8897439954f453e88201bb1e8a96837808e84f98ba0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101960, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101960" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101960 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101960 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18442, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "828b74cdf73c3b1fadcc539486487c6509288c19d0886898281a087f004afec4" }, { "bytes": 8122, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c1d59285f6c661fae8d86aa2d50b374e8b102d94aabe3a1b033fe3740a9a44d6" }, { "bytes": 7824, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b76b252018d139b3eae3a8897439954f453e88201bb1e8a96837808e84f98ba0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101960/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101960", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7397-bb06-868ae5c25657" } Uij4GRZXfBiq+SAUyvP7Xs9pjcvJXVMo40NwVcWi0bVe3XiyT3zIoowBNfj79OAY1v/9C+mk2y4/fP+ceotaBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Uij4GRZXfBiq+SAUyvP7Xs9pjcvJXVMo40NwVcWi0bVe3XiyT3zIoowBNfj79OAY1v/9C+mk2y4/fP+ceotaBg== {"files":[{"bytes":18193,"name":"index.html","sha256":"782cec42c7704acf60a043de11c81abccf64a0b1a335249ad8bcfc991bc0adb5"},{"bytes":7916,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5c67d16ab983eefeb1183ec3c0e973523c263202e3b9781e91667c96ccfce3ba"},{"bytes":7618,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"149f5c6a13434ffb473da6024dc4f4411f0670b45a008c34fbb31f320fd4710e"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a5b4f03c60a805ace0fc881e9f398f4dd8117bbad626e0c386d124abd195f92b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7633bb8f90697c1974a82ef4a5dce2c57bd325dc29c2c8eaafa7ff5c408dfb6d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0104f35e5df1aaa0088809d1fc4556d164af744fcc2eed0d9cf19a1a87e3d6a5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101961"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101961
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101961

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
149f5c6a13434ffb473da6024dc4f4411f0670b45a008c34fbb31f320fd4710e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101961, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101961" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101961 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101961 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18193, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "782cec42c7704acf60a043de11c81abccf64a0b1a335249ad8bcfc991bc0adb5" }, { "bytes": 7916, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5c67d16ab983eefeb1183ec3c0e973523c263202e3b9781e91667c96ccfce3ba" }, { "bytes": 7618, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "149f5c6a13434ffb473da6024dc4f4411f0670b45a008c34fbb31f320fd4710e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101961/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101961", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7015-a21d-639bc09eb87a" } g3KdnNz3TRtTE6lD3ehRsjv70AUuHQUZLQIxpUVqjT80kNzUXeZAIWCJ0UMd1BSRwQNuRNxmbUBelIjt0/RpBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: g3KdnNz3TRtTE6lD3ehRsjv70AUuHQUZLQIxpUVqjT80kNzUXeZAIWCJ0UMd1BSRwQNuRNxmbUBelIjt0/RpBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17590,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7df80dd1d55459bfca9676512889fc4d9be7cbc86dd3755450f393790068d495"},{"bytes":7380,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e9b3182128c092984f977b306c033c925489ac4c07dce47d8089e56c0f317d41"},{"bytes":7085,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5de73d6658e0bc90ff8a1ef1565256502e9023b0773bde7ab4fe59d182525425"},{"bytes":2748,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"63a1596d8ad96ceb2a35533ad66b6cbb402ab895dde5ad5ffcd064ff89a6ddf0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e9f1344581a6714117b22f3e1081f3c19f0c20a0ce900b5c20083614cf59d02d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"87996b912e68b9bc99736b153fca8da54a94533cb92eb122debb545264239edc"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101962"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101962
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101962

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5de73d6658e0bc90ff8a1ef1565256502e9023b0773bde7ab4fe59d182525425

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101962, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101962.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101962" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101962" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101962 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101962 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101962 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101962 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101963

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6ffe1cebd70836d9ac8f5366533d4d995d4465f652858ff0ada5a9a0ab97a75e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101963, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101963" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101963 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101963 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18388, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7590571efa0b2603b4079a6811f4fc93839ff63b10823856a4fd089f0f8d28ca" }, { "bytes": 8068, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5673fd92a0ec1a58551262f9c40caffc2c2e3332a47d4089bd4a679de3235faf" }, { "bytes": 7770, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6ffe1cebd70836d9ac8f5366533d4d995d4465f652858ff0ada5a9a0ab97a75e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101963/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101963", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-73ae-ac09-79cceb12d720" } 4yUvvKFQtaG/qvu8L8IkN1eUKbBD7QUeeqcjxb0LGB2LLhV2NPctHiLTtYxOZQsEO9ne85bU0gQcfEnF80UzAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4yUvvKFQtaG/qvu8L8IkN1eUKbBD7QUeeqcjxb0LGB2LLhV2NPctHiLTtYxOZQsEO9ne85bU0gQcfEnF80UzAg== {"files":[{"bytes":18139,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2a340c67c6a1e33d7a87859db763a4bd6617875d0de87b7700777cd7825828b4"},{"bytes":7862,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"10ee5decdb5eb152f03b6aa52875581697850eb207d539280bd2612c0f8c2735"},{"bytes":7564,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1e1ca7bde87c2ce0f5c100e2a480cf52fb929d669287aa4167ec09ed6702b645"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"dbe4b9e166d49d3a5b12aafb3389aeeeab841df0e30201ebdb1ca701bd6e7a16"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6769fc34ae30a17f8f0f5f3107d2211e91db1ca571ef70b990c37292912b8b49"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d548b61567ff43344f67f607e9037d2f0fb4edf4110454cff4cc589ebd01fc9b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101964"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101964
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101964

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1e1ca7bde87c2ce0f5c100e2a480cf52fb929d669287aa4167ec09ed6702b645

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101964, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101964.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101964" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101964" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101964 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101964 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101964 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101964 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101965

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5cb9b22cbd3901e355d86f400c1b94c1c769b23f1d306df459910fe7592996c2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101965, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101965" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101965 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101965 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17360, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bffc802e22e62719135628aeb02af7ed4ac45392a6ded5dafe62be07cde44e53" }, { "bytes": 7194, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "daecfe0bce779f04d9cfb683d35809c53fcc34fbc6ed185c9c810281dbaec317" }, { "bytes": 6895, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5cb9b22cbd3901e355d86f400c1b94c1c769b23f1d306df459910fe7592996c2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101965/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101965", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79f2-abd4-c0fdbf80f6d9" } Y5JmUi3DBQ3rp3KtpH/p+iWq2zRnOgVeV2/jtCMWSxiahU7eIWX9yFeZgqPxi47cGCS0669bXNQM/lfB0rCNBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Y5JmUi3DBQ3rp3KtpH/p+iWq2zRnOgVeV2/jtCMWSxiahU7eIWX9yFeZgqPxi47cGCS0669bXNQM/lfB0rCNBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18158,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bc111436114ad7e330f8bef56a63faa96b530a888c28d4bce303bf76720824c2"},{"bytes":7882,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7bf9346b5c9284109ccbafdd8f18302532b8b80bfab8614721af4f406a899565"},{"bytes":7580,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1d0f94fff3804b9058bcf9832288598c9cfc0e9d899d07e64a54b94f03e234ef"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5df80830b1e64bb5e6224c10c4a698df296abd549ae71f47888c5b5dddb72460"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b4ed4bc15cc6f3d8415c49afec7571790f55d4ca654dd0a7f974b03e7955e295"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ce80d18e572c90ec87a913a4712dee916ce0c09ad970c01e6c5d442a089cbb03"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101966"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101966
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101966

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1d0f94fff3804b9058bcf9832288598c9cfc0e9d899d07e64a54b94f03e234ef

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101966, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101966" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101966 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101966 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18158, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bc111436114ad7e330f8bef56a63faa96b530a888c28d4bce303bf76720824c2" }, { "bytes": 7882, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7bf9346b5c9284109ccbafdd8f18302532b8b80bfab8614721af4f406a899565" }, { "bytes": 7580, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1d0f94fff3804b9058bcf9832288598c9cfc0e9d899d07e64a54b94f03e234ef" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101966/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101966", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-782c-ba8a-73bb83e03822" } fFExDLpjCV/L0STPR73RPZuAK1+ME9FPP6mdKOqxb/GPRqkZCH7zLwB5F2R5kPxhVjEKekSQIPxRzjdPqcD0CA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fFExDLpjCV/L0STPR73RPZuAK1+ME9FPP6mdKOqxb/GPRqkZCH7zLwB5F2R5kPxhVjEKekSQIPxRzjdPqcD0CA== {"files":[{"bytes":17909,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f8574b6fc01ca2c14796cfe2b681380577293a9b452d2871bf9ed833c5bbe3c5"},{"bytes":7676,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"bc40f759b21da8eb22ff9409d9645ef37cd85d813fe6ed83742aba14cc4532b9"},{"bytes":7374,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0836f31b9824130717d38c7dc672aa61f8af80e44a7435913be4ab98a326ff5e"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4a169dcf3ff43591c076f6cc17226ae5e01a3663b6852373e20f6d77ec4f4941"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f3408d05f34f5bd9f16b69b02b408edb50a2684392a1e5ea598ff83ef68a2df8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8b761cbf9b23aa395ccd7ed88bd297b64808ccfb50d39737b36bf60a1410f7fe"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101967"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101967
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101967

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0836f31b9824130717d38c7dc672aa61f8af80e44a7435913be4ab98a326ff5e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101967, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101967" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101967 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101967 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17909, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f8574b6fc01ca2c14796cfe2b681380577293a9b452d2871bf9ed833c5bbe3c5" }, { "bytes": 7676, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bc40f759b21da8eb22ff9409d9645ef37cd85d813fe6ed83742aba14cc4532b9" }, { "bytes": 7374, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0836f31b9824130717d38c7dc672aa61f8af80e44a7435913be4ab98a326ff5e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101967/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101967", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7a5e-b59b-b9b6a75ae8c0" } A1EcE//Q4AOxHdAMnsfqQPLwjHRfylFDqxlkohNB8a8vjBEu6gfcFqiXwPafQSEQKXB4CGVbt+a9Bk/f1o76AQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: A1EcE//Q4AOxHdAMnsfqQPLwjHRfylFDqxlkohNB8a8vjBEu6gfcFqiXwPafQSEQKXB4CGVbt+a9Bk/f1o76AQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17360,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1588c4d93b2863930d2f71759245be99d5e45862fb1cb791d5ce5eddb7c7261d"},{"bytes":7194,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"33f3f750b2e7abcf5b827734c6125c010363c991ad6427f825e7d295f70eee02"},{"bytes":6895,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"afb0d19f5d91b4df03b7b88b9f3560680eff83a687391d33f99979e907500744"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f75b360c5504ed4c539f22fbdc3b9d5e13d6cfe96a1399a1ce17e49f619a950d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7fc4d19582c6de765eca194d996d8996b9111697a321efd4cdc65745bb0250c1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"352d66ef2387d05658abbaa70e55475a7aea179ac657203e450f55fdde295047"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101968"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101968
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101968

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
afb0d19f5d91b4df03b7b88b9f3560680eff83a687391d33f99979e907500744

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101968, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101968" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101968 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101968 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17360, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1588c4d93b2863930d2f71759245be99d5e45862fb1cb791d5ce5eddb7c7261d" }, { "bytes": 7194, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "33f3f750b2e7abcf5b827734c6125c010363c991ad6427f825e7d295f70eee02" }, { "bytes": 6895, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "afb0d19f5d91b4df03b7b88b9f3560680eff83a687391d33f99979e907500744" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101968/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101968", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7f23-9a04-b25a482a5345" } DPrn17pl45XPM/Uo1jreB6z4G40CO89BMcTNrtPkcZa33VCD2qBkoh/u0C3emd2vrNqSILtnK3QnczlK0UMeCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: DPrn17pl45XPM/Uo1jreB6z4G40CO89BMcTNrtPkcZa33VCD2qBkoh/u0C3emd2vrNqSILtnK3QnczlK0UMeCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18158,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c235146ae977cc40af358797baf41ab03965baada967cbfcfa9337b54816eb6f"},{"bytes":7882,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c84bc410256e5f77effba3dacfd234a25930cf46fc3df124d6744b950d27b80e"},{"bytes":7580,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"594bdc2f1f7b2fbdcfb458d81bcc00a974d183a67b646eb85264f735d1e299d5"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"40eae0aa02c48a9b57f62f34da2d8cccacd02a35d1f659a4d1a55004aaf0270a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"584f22312651dbe2ee48413d90077ea5fa93ea47733b1fbe5b16a4a7283d9d2f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f2e4c93508a10cc826fbc788226855351a3c3ec234faef28269e7870cd007fe0"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101969"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101969
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101969

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
594bdc2f1f7b2fbdcfb458d81bcc00a974d183a67b646eb85264f735d1e299d5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101969, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101969" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101969 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101969 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18158, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c235146ae977cc40af358797baf41ab03965baada967cbfcfa9337b54816eb6f" }, { "bytes": 7882, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c84bc410256e5f77effba3dacfd234a25930cf46fc3df124d6744b950d27b80e" }, { "bytes": 7580, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "594bdc2f1f7b2fbdcfb458d81bcc00a974d183a67b646eb85264f735d1e299d5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101969/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101969", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79bb-8e63-9504e0164587" } eVUuHAzaLrMjXg2vmeZnb+RSP7dKnuqu8S2sytyrdmqDQPMSZW1metj5lX2TUk/3LLkkZ8HVc0nUcOfZR/AXCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: eVUuHAzaLrMjXg2vmeZnb+RSP7dKnuqu8S2sytyrdmqDQPMSZW1metj5lX2TUk/3LLkkZ8HVc0nUcOfZR/AXCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17909,"name":"index.html","sha256":"35726a8e38f9ed5a070a6d7acde389e4a92c01fe8c604c79ba02481968c32995"},{"bytes":7676,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"71bbeabed985a18f06109557b308caee2b19f9ffc6626f9e9a48bd3b9dc27959"},{"bytes":7374,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"af79ea560f8eed7aa48c7e38dde0b61436cc70512522fd0bf44099e086bf9209"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"296515f5e228d6aa70d3e5a95777c05de74e94a9b7d0050e32eb86625f5a8af5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"799cfeaf7183f10ca157d7261a9c9d170111553cf5df470911ed6a89c594772f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2341df2ba70502c13369ce3f5bcd687c8ff857b2ce8aa090c3f7987be5167ae9"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101970"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101970
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101970

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
af79ea560f8eed7aa48c7e38dde0b61436cc70512522fd0bf44099e086bf9209

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101970, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101970" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101970 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101970 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17909, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "35726a8e38f9ed5a070a6d7acde389e4a92c01fe8c604c79ba02481968c32995" }, { "bytes": 7676, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "71bbeabed985a18f06109557b308caee2b19f9ffc6626f9e9a48bd3b9dc27959" }, { "bytes": 7374, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "af79ea560f8eed7aa48c7e38dde0b61436cc70512522fd0bf44099e086bf9209" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101970/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101970", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ccd-acbb-058afa5928f6" } zXgE2r6fltLNp6+KZ9AFv9BNbE4pZ0b/FSWrSwvSi3TnctJL6jEHObAwaw6JUj1JR1Jh8ujSoGiN/SAaPzfaCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zXgE2r6fltLNp6+KZ9AFv9BNbE4pZ0b/FSWrSwvSi3TnctJL6jEHObAwaw6JUj1JR1Jh8ujSoGiN/SAaPzfaCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17373,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4c3944e263fbc45177700a44665e9e92e03cf87048b151c3113f2dd7bee50b15"},{"bytes":7264,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b9ce631174caa9a306b926620e0adac3f85621212fbcb37aa3ad5d01734a698b"},{"bytes":6933,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"60e66060787199574567bda44f6a9581989c6e7e615aaaad052b8ac5848a8c5f"},{"bytes":2828,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f8ec57abd997fc1a5de609cd86503dce57a9d3da4e0d173f2057a8eb21b91908"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a7028e66a9b1db8e461c8023bc0966dc44066a7c4e97faa007574ea55ba54335"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"279a750d73584029cd65aabb0bb0a54b9f0cb08853a2ac1b34d9be125869fe68"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101971"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101971
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101971

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
60e66060787199574567bda44f6a9581989c6e7e615aaaad052b8ac5848a8c5f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101971, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101971.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101971" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101971" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101971 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101971 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101971 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101971 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101972

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
f6f1a46e96296f2778c4b0d089aebf6f2c8d731f36152b670589959a58bb2ef7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101972, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101972.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101972" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101972" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101972 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101972 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101972 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101972 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101973

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
20dbf7ce8e58cfe5fbe08b9cd7294302d6d641b67f26f7958bb41aa4b8a0f6a9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101973, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101973.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101973" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101973" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101973 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101973 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101973 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101973 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101974

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
187e96f2f919aa36482b9a26064b675425e1b5b0168194a79195d2564a62513a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101974, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101974" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101974 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101974 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 993 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17374, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2fb4d5599d2e177afe1c16078e642a70d14a7b0c6bf5e7eb6d4dfbc3f63cf2f9" }, { "bytes": 7265, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "87efc619cc79d2cf92ca99479d001200397521c89f93629eb6872d849ddd7897" }, { "bytes": 6934, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "187e96f2f919aa36482b9a26064b675425e1b5b0168194a79195d2564a62513a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101974/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101974", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7495-90ab-818264159ccd" } IZpsMwisvy1q5E9enmUZJT2h5I60Z0yNmvygUJ9X5IoGTJnwD+NuRZAay3YfdlpIhv9Xx/adl9YzBMoRnpIRDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: IZpsMwisvy1q5E9enmUZJT2h5I60Z0yNmvygUJ9X5IoGTJnwD+NuRZAay3YfdlpIhv9Xx/adl9YzBMoRnpIRDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18166,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5ba93d9077a013e93b9985507e22c7fa6d93ec10b43aa8bb8d2a6a03ddfabd2a"},{"bytes":7947,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a54da2c2741fa232f54f23cba977e4f5c6526b4a532a755f66c186d3ccc4373f"},{"bytes":7613,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ad6498557d04c829da92b1d9757d86d947c5e64cc34436661f93d8147022dc0c"},{"bytes":2838,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2e6f796bbd2afa60c1d0ac1ccee81dfede8c467d3da62e9c63fa0b9708735857"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b568e95f7a440188204eee093741d9e4bb4c6db6c03047146feefd5a1d778e47"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"90c9cc5cdf9f0498a2a8829fcd043a0747cba84656d4e0b8ac5f5d7e273af68a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101975"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101975
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101975

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
ad6498557d04c829da92b1d9757d86d947c5e64cc34436661f93d8147022dc0c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101975, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101975" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101975 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101975 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1098 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18166, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5ba93d9077a013e93b9985507e22c7fa6d93ec10b43aa8bb8d2a6a03ddfabd2a" }, { "bytes": 7947, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a54da2c2741fa232f54f23cba977e4f5c6526b4a532a755f66c186d3ccc4373f" }, { "bytes": 7613, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ad6498557d04c829da92b1d9757d86d947c5e64cc34436661f93d8147022dc0c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101975/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101975", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7542-a9ea-4192f0414bcd" } LV+f/DWQLndk9K4QgRgoJwrxjZk4pZ/8kW6bTdkufCk/E3vacESDlLeMKMbpDB5GoDVGQGzbCfit04XImFWxBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LV+f/DWQLndk9K4QgRgoJwrxjZk4pZ/8kW6bTdkufCk/E3vacESDlLeMKMbpDB5GoDVGQGzbCfit04XImFWxBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17917,"name":"index.html","sha256":"61b4e926b3866c2f4f2ea8c3171e2709820dffc995be8f46d4995685827eeb6f"},{"bytes":7741,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c8ff041141c75057e8640673695a1f812547c8b5b810428de7c8446fe52f58ea"},{"bytes":7407,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d35036be3539103f80a7aa88ac750838e31fbaf07042f653acae79088b26a857"},{"bytes":2838,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e18042dabcf8bf4600b0a586f9bbd10eadab626d22b473067d5820632442469b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9ac52fc9f68527bcbb7fef90ffdbadb9034daf6249fa613b894f2fc36e94214f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1310180f0a940aa65e99385cdcea15af7b0787e0c78f538369a3e9e297e672c5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101976"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101976
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101976

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
d35036be3539103f80a7aa88ac750838e31fbaf07042f653acae79088b26a857

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101976, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101976" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101976 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101976 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1064 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17917, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "61b4e926b3866c2f4f2ea8c3171e2709820dffc995be8f46d4995685827eeb6f" }, { "bytes": 7741, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c8ff041141c75057e8640673695a1f812547c8b5b810428de7c8446fe52f58ea" }, { "bytes": 7407, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d35036be3539103f80a7aa88ac750838e31fbaf07042f653acae79088b26a857" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101976/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101976", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7f53-b71b-a5cda66b7766" } xb4VQ9tgfskxYZU6+gJoq2iMd+JcRwL9ggoB17F7ZEyEHb4lrrLtfdBMjerIjlqyEs9jRtAGYG7FVFPm2iz0DQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xb4VQ9tgfskxYZU6+gJoq2iMd+JcRwL9ggoB17F7ZEyEHb4lrrLtfdBMjerIjlqyEs9jRtAGYG7FVFPm2iz0DQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17378,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9c967c35b8e238167a820620b8d65860ae55870ab6143806a037b62b5208e427"},{"bytes":7269,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4eb8f10ff60c31c7b0cc53a396dad9254d81e8ec0bb787b959f882cf85299929"},{"bytes":6938,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d5c6234ec993f935985df8a5ded8245fa896bc1434e272e15c2717428a9101aa"},{"bytes":2828,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"efd651142599bcc347b8d9d5f11b01a04f51e7e2d20929c16902efd83cd8c306"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"644b9c278f4570bc1716ff69b32b0cfb5942cd101242810dacad5f7ad19f5579"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3c0021f528db5eee50df2e64a61e39b791ecf3d46702b65ec406a4417dacc38a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101977"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101977
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101977

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
d5c6234ec993f935985df8a5ded8245fa896bc1434e272e15c2717428a9101aa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101977, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101977.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101977" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101977" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101977 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101977 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101977 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101977 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101978

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
9b703f967869996679b75707d3b2b4074e98feab718cd6ac2fc270aa36f7aa99

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101978, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101978" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101978 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101978 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1098 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18170, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "660fcbc691a07de03e466555cee42e97e80f89f35a8ca7a98088e501149ce7df" }, { "bytes": 7951, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "01caa4ef218ee52e97ea2e0e3ea0d9a908dbf1ac3d9e4a1eeb2350f9457b3743" }, { "bytes": 7617, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9b703f967869996679b75707d3b2b4074e98feab718cd6ac2fc270aa36f7aa99" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101978/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101978", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ccf-b214-47abc0fde88e" } xkvBbiLb3iVYg/19ToYhF+aArXLO3deQspG5j/jbJ7gre8Cf5YJiFxo5Kc3V1qN3F7KBXSi70iBTF7aIVjwqDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xkvBbiLb3iVYg/19ToYhF+aArXLO3deQspG5j/jbJ7gre8Cf5YJiFxo5Kc3V1qN3F7KBXSi70iBTF7aIVjwqDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17921,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bf3a6bbccd21c323336d12d309a1cd30d9b490ab3cba26718472e1cb00d24431"},{"bytes":7745,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4c6b31664c436a0fc240e7bcef29ed8b65324a4373aa7ebe44d09e42524b2aac"},{"bytes":7411,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"47cdefcb5e28588685a4d3841cf12717b60804f1072b617073cd137d0ccb46be"},{"bytes":2838,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fbed5640c4abbcb283f577aa4c927df167d986e98bc8b35dcf7507df3cdaf4fb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bdd210f11da5322e9b8e88edee393f208d6fa300e4708bc1eed8ef513d4792d9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3cf36d7bbeebbe5c2181dcaa240c70f0aa34930faed37684b216e6d4faa298ed"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101979"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101979
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101979

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
47cdefcb5e28588685a4d3841cf12717b60804f1072b617073cd137d0ccb46be

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101979, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101979" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101979 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101979 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1064 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17921, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bf3a6bbccd21c323336d12d309a1cd30d9b490ab3cba26718472e1cb00d24431" }, { "bytes": 7745, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4c6b31664c436a0fc240e7bcef29ed8b65324a4373aa7ebe44d09e42524b2aac" }, { "bytes": 7411, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "47cdefcb5e28588685a4d3841cf12717b60804f1072b617073cd137d0ccb46be" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101979/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101979", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7553-bb78-c0abdc40fa4b" } e/B9MQERpqaTHUm7zNjI3nWB0kX8gIgPmBzyrrkjL5cXOM9AzZp5fC7jsVAP3sDrLTjI7V4mC+5z5sZFWQPJCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: e/B9MQERpqaTHUm7zNjI3nWB0kX8gIgPmBzyrrkjL5cXOM9AzZp5fC7jsVAP3sDrLTjI7V4mC+5z5sZFWQPJCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17551,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5d8764707f6afc88af5e62dffe39adad05c3032f4ec4debd07ce5d94d20ef34d"},{"bytes":7414,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2bedd9aa921cfb80f75c4a4adfe348928eddaa16c942de5ebb853c12eb63470a"},{"bytes":7095,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ba1c35150e8b57fcc9c17fd1e9e04efef3cf352e83a9f7e2dfc90d3ff1f8eaa3"},{"bytes":2804,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c4f6bb20230623b210d8b740dafa82e4b635874cc5ec19ccb1b6d00304e6ee74"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"88f88a1d7cb78a0a1ff2b780d00156d4e69dcd9cace51a60312bf1ad0e31d1bb"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"22297244b719bd27307afebd292bb31b35fc83e761449d2e03c66043a04d11d6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101980"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101980
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101980

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ba1c35150e8b57fcc9c17fd1e9e04efef3cf352e83a9f7e2dfc90d3ff1f8eaa3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101980, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101980" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101980 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101980 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17551, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5d8764707f6afc88af5e62dffe39adad05c3032f4ec4debd07ce5d94d20ef34d" }, { "bytes": 7414, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2bedd9aa921cfb80f75c4a4adfe348928eddaa16c942de5ebb853c12eb63470a" }, { "bytes": 7095, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ba1c35150e8b57fcc9c17fd1e9e04efef3cf352e83a9f7e2dfc90d3ff1f8eaa3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101980/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101980", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7554-8a87-be33e6a91779" } PsqdsQIdiXhuxmiybm3dCWuuSrmchyKjWWHeJ2BExVaYqKJwNoghPTx6ZHxRyDIKBSlRQAUSVIToX5DJmLWHAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: PsqdsQIdiXhuxmiybm3dCWuuSrmchyKjWWHeJ2BExVaYqKJwNoghPTx6ZHxRyDIKBSlRQAUSVIToX5DJmLWHAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18343,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e5d239a4d182241b3a77dcb2841605f6aa21b072ecfec1ee85bc19ccc83aeeaa"},{"bytes":8096,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"bc30e606a53d5f982ac8885e71ee2b0672b15326a4c83cc93493c3bc9eb6debd"},{"bytes":7774,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bf090dd4c8a17cd0d64e0251499122ee5652acb728f0dd0d66d7c302e60838f4"},{"bytes":2813,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"109240d5580488e82e453cce03fc80f32a9902f941468add1574c7ab882541ef"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e670937e1252088c520bc59cc4643525c57a923db875716185d7224b92ca6745"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9cec571eae812618692b308e8af46bcc6d320ac0753b68ca6dae583c836bcaa2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101981"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101981
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101981

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
bf090dd4c8a17cd0d64e0251499122ee5652acb728f0dd0d66d7c302e60838f4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101981, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101981" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101981 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101981 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18343, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e5d239a4d182241b3a77dcb2841605f6aa21b072ecfec1ee85bc19ccc83aeeaa" }, { "bytes": 8096, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bc30e606a53d5f982ac8885e71ee2b0672b15326a4c83cc93493c3bc9eb6debd" }, { "bytes": 7774, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bf090dd4c8a17cd0d64e0251499122ee5652acb728f0dd0d66d7c302e60838f4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101981/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101981", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-75c4-b65d-2c798e11606c" } rbDTl1urMr9vQYew8snf3dVT5O7zx3raCtp8uhoz7pLLXNaQjNZk2uZDBOXTuVEqGmrdsq0MKVfK6Y2UB8SADw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: rbDTl1urMr9vQYew8snf3dVT5O7zx3raCtp8uhoz7pLLXNaQjNZk2uZDBOXTuVEqGmrdsq0MKVfK6Y2UB8SADw== {"files":[{"bytes":18094,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7616075d1c841ad828231a7dd0f05a2dfbc1e871bd22fc4ef122873853f64995"},{"bytes":7890,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d82313ae560bf1ed5e6421f999354731ab6dbeef6162cacfcb34d3244619a057"},{"bytes":7568,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8fd58e6284177fa1d033e305b1a0fc013c57f25e6eb1d64a28baa3556ab1d51c"},{"bytes":2813,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"95ab77fcaaae4ced1aff7357b5ae7c35b3b2c6283e8436119eb26159ee198c80"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b771797fd8119db8497688cbb9c7accd1fa9e79ac74ac138ded52f4885df9b5f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3aecdffa79e59ec1fef70723a05f84c169ecf0c1a56c1db26d03565a99146c50"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101982"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101982
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101982

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
8fd58e6284177fa1d033e305b1a0fc013c57f25e6eb1d64a28baa3556ab1d51c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101982, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101982" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101982 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101982 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1104 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18094, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7616075d1c841ad828231a7dd0f05a2dfbc1e871bd22fc4ef122873853f64995" }, { "bytes": 7890, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d82313ae560bf1ed5e6421f999354731ab6dbeef6162cacfcb34d3244619a057" }, { "bytes": 7568, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8fd58e6284177fa1d033e305b1a0fc013c57f25e6eb1d64a28baa3556ab1d51c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101982/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101982", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c1d-9c98-561c6929ffde" } w9gqTbrwYOiG/es81rLAlx+H3mpHiwwD11UL/vZvRlboQA8hSPd51V5PJTnJGgIyx3k8/qh0koXqJwgKDN6+AQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: w9gqTbrwYOiG/es81rLAlx+H3mpHiwwD11UL/vZvRlboQA8hSPd51V5PJTnJGgIyx3k8/qh0koXqJwgKDN6+AQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17497,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4b929aa896a49c8ecc7ad175ebd505ce7a92b079c161f6b848a92fdacceff13f"},{"bytes":7360,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ea1c0328e9dd2d2dc4d4569705b9889f7e75cd245899f8216eb877efc27bf9ec"},{"bytes":7041,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"96a2acbbd95f19e5a74a41907598c6c6d36cc816f3967a826bd808535dd03ff1"},{"bytes":2804,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4f2e85c3d53a22bc88e344577d871c34b85fde27532652840da81716f1a323e6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5a335b4586e45d8d3a87b820b602aa7282155c5f7d1a38be249ead776a4746ea"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1755ee611d1a89b9c6224afab7478f95edce8137d0302c665e36d949573350d1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101983"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101983
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101983

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
96a2acbbd95f19e5a74a41907598c6c6d36cc816f3967a826bd808535dd03ff1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101983, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101983" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101983 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101983 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1018 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17497, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4b929aa896a49c8ecc7ad175ebd505ce7a92b079c161f6b848a92fdacceff13f" }, { "bytes": 7360, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ea1c0328e9dd2d2dc4d4569705b9889f7e75cd245899f8216eb877efc27bf9ec" }, { "bytes": 7041, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "96a2acbbd95f19e5a74a41907598c6c6d36cc816f3967a826bd808535dd03ff1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101983/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101983", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-74ac-851e-1af7da6b846f" } cFrT9EmvoKxo97LWeJK0s5sTwC/C8/t0vY17NwTm3yKX9rEMQz3YFdW899sVD79bxrdPVboRAvrnl+CDGP1kBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: cFrT9EmvoKxo97LWeJK0s5sTwC/C8/t0vY17NwTm3yKX9rEMQz3YFdW899sVD79bxrdPVboRAvrnl+CDGP1kBw== {"files":[{"bytes":18289,"name":"index.html","sha256":"896cc140ed5760479a8d956ff571503710e5a6dce4634a12c77b709594ef767f"},{"bytes":8042,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d010d140faae5e192d21517bbd00c8dabdd04020be8d91d0b0802444c856ba9d"},{"bytes":7720,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"acf43aa80f97897761a9b569eeea6b145c8ab40498c255e230a21990d973b4b1"},{"bytes":2813,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a61be814134529c8224e0fa2793e81c464c013f46111c7abb39bf8c7974ced94"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a06f6f953798c8df09009ec3fca3b5103a6b78cd21deadbcdd8071aab4d9a7f3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"09b183a54adcf3a13c75cee793488508f9673b065833f6b3d6a0a7134391317e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101984"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101984
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101984

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
acf43aa80f97897761a9b569eeea6b145c8ab40498c255e230a21990d973b4b1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101984, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101984" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101984 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101984 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1123 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18289, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "896cc140ed5760479a8d956ff571503710e5a6dce4634a12c77b709594ef767f" }, { "bytes": 8042, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d010d140faae5e192d21517bbd00c8dabdd04020be8d91d0b0802444c856ba9d" }, { "bytes": 7720, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "acf43aa80f97897761a9b569eeea6b145c8ab40498c255e230a21990d973b4b1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101984/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101984", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7eb8-9522-e309dcb32f86" } 1XVXBkkheWzvjFmHuvL2HyvGWil/kEsV63DE5BDVGv8KEVfeLKelTVRcUcZsEBqEh1gQPAEzyq3EjlwVf4XfDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 1XVXBkkheWzvjFmHuvL2HyvGWil/kEsV63DE5BDVGv8KEVfeLKelTVRcUcZsEBqEh1gQPAEzyq3EjlwVf4XfDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18040,"name":"index.html","sha256":"84e03d7eaaaa60a599b0e20b0d95606ff260507185e17b11820c1daf0afa6204"},{"bytes":7836,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"862ee800b4c90f79050739a526b8fec70a5014792b7506043779a66248951fa9"},{"bytes":7514,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7f84c5d38efa7dd90acac0171065e95f2e808d7e823047a90b6d4c154c6efda9"},{"bytes":2813,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"25ccfca3e4e29f3c75ec399014421823a52775938ce4528e36b8bf9238c3d25e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"83626c69879ec23b8e257cce796d103bd2d85e00ca79cadaeff58f69b2563c2f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4debb1b073a1bc166d637e3ff8d032e32570a7181897def092b9206a291cc891"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101985"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101985
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101985

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
7f84c5d38efa7dd90acac0171065e95f2e808d7e823047a90b6d4c154c6efda9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101985, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101985" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101985 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101985 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1089 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18040, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "84e03d7eaaaa60a599b0e20b0d95606ff260507185e17b11820c1daf0afa6204" }, { "bytes": 7836, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "862ee800b4c90f79050739a526b8fec70a5014792b7506043779a66248951fa9" }, { "bytes": 7514, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7f84c5d38efa7dd90acac0171065e95f2e808d7e823047a90b6d4c154c6efda9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101985/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101985", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7d96-a770-cc30f2b66578" } VS4TZHEO0o7IBNN4kVrULiPOtjjhcYvYm8IKnAi6Beb9xcEGtJvrVWAQRaJpIAchl8OEOKcvy4gsSPZUxmPJBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VS4TZHEO0o7IBNN4kVrULiPOtjjhcYvYm8IKnAi6Beb9xcEGtJvrVWAQRaJpIAchl8OEOKcvy4gsSPZUxmPJBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17267,"name":"index.html","sha256":"30d69fafb5d984852a4d26d128090c01b89e29ad65fbcba56da649af6a6e2286"},{"bytes":7174,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"05657344a2947ed598f838d74bb745267adfec486764e1e5370460b96b32ad2e"},{"bytes":6851,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"39162f40b4e61c2118d64641a2c7253a046be874eee803189b8ccfb7c962a4b9"},{"bytes":2820,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d80273560765f18dabf3dd4d18fccad2cf28c41d5dc4121f9aaf48d6794fc3c9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"dc30d840604a8a6ead63692407ed19f5366a7b3d9890768a6193ab07f505d9ec"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"df98eac9fa0fa3aeb967bab207358a939213e420c31e713bc65d55ddc6f888d7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101986"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101986
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101986

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
39162f40b4e61c2118d64641a2c7253a046be874eee803189b8ccfb7c962a4b9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101986, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101986.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101986" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101986" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101986 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101986 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101986 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101986 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101987

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
c527c25c30c288e221b714f76841d26e878e0022fb1f051febbee8f652bbbdb9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101987, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101987" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101987 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101987 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1086 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18059, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1c60537334893154d67041675cf1705fb9e67d1393fd8e7c3e0e7b199aa2eb38" }, { "bytes": 7856, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "18958d95f9ea20d1e960007ba7a69f02bd1fe9802b9fc9499741c31134beeb6e" }, { "bytes": 7530, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c527c25c30c288e221b714f76841d26e878e0022fb1f051febbee8f652bbbdb9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101987/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101987", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-725f-9320-b80272bdc1c0" } u8GYvmUEjOthuXiqE0cruIzZtdwHwFjfrid7RUiKTiUfiJiFYpQ0FBDSQpJXMAkm39fCBKBynjqXDQsauB1+Bw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: u8GYvmUEjOthuXiqE0cruIzZtdwHwFjfrid7RUiKTiUfiJiFYpQ0FBDSQpJXMAkm39fCBKBynjqXDQsauB1+Bw== {"files":[{"bytes":17810,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8a57fa400b0fabb9a3fe18927de118df0207c65b8d23df5cea7057b734733c41"},{"bytes":7650,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d63ef4fecc8c1c2718d5d443fe6e61ff61fc99373d82c96ec704740d89dd615f"},{"bytes":7324,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0d04da9c8f8912c8a301ae4777fd8e819d294e55ae5c632020f73706b3ebe101"},{"bytes":2830,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5d5307d10e53812080aff04d8e907bb3bea2dc681b8d48659a678a453a506b5d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ba6e45aaa0225001fcdd39d4a93ed4d782b6bf7f0336cd90a024cedd442b9b11"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d64ed33b7b55bf4ecec292d43c3f03538901896eb7c38059311e35f41db0e286"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101988"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101988
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101988

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0d04da9c8f8912c8a301ae4777fd8e819d294e55ae5c632020f73706b3ebe101

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101988, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101988" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101988 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101988 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17810, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8a57fa400b0fabb9a3fe18927de118df0207c65b8d23df5cea7057b734733c41" }, { "bytes": 7650, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d63ef4fecc8c1c2718d5d443fe6e61ff61fc99373d82c96ec704740d89dd615f" }, { "bytes": 7324, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0d04da9c8f8912c8a301ae4777fd8e819d294e55ae5c632020f73706b3ebe101" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101988/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101988", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7524-b889-6c06ffc09cfa" } va5uLncrahaiGMUDHoYDGV9BjF7ETq0eOXrRpaBHwhyFIc0+tGPEcgv04xUun+o802Rk4DSbZ1T0O2MAKZF6Dg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: va5uLncrahaiGMUDHoYDGV9BjF7ETq0eOXrRpaBHwhyFIc0+tGPEcgv04xUun+o802Rk4DSbZ1T0O2MAKZF6Dg== {"files":[{"bytes":17267,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3973e4def4a1d96d055c26474287634d04f707ffe2e5b251d7ab6e0e6d836e15"},{"bytes":7174,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2a5bc89fd5f11728e71f98d7a85b3b2da29eb9d9a5dbc12bd1607d508dee1c62"},{"bytes":6851,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3a807ea134342d06388b30cbbb94436b29614e6b07a9b44949fbb1ab665acf22"},{"bytes":2820,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d52308613cd4446ce0442e5323f86c84805f7e0f34e7d048879d173bee38693d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ef0b9aaef656117a523d3ebddb890a55e0d5f058a33052dddf6195d1b5654489"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"684de3880337ceb9a5024168df124f684732f5958cdd24b262f7d21d9b17e7a7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101989"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101989
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101989

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3a807ea134342d06388b30cbbb94436b29614e6b07a9b44949fbb1ab665acf22

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101989, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101989" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101989 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101989 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 981 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17267, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3973e4def4a1d96d055c26474287634d04f707ffe2e5b251d7ab6e0e6d836e15" }, { "bytes": 7174, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2a5bc89fd5f11728e71f98d7a85b3b2da29eb9d9a5dbc12bd1607d508dee1c62" }, { "bytes": 6851, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3a807ea134342d06388b30cbbb94436b29614e6b07a9b44949fbb1ab665acf22" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101989/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101989", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ea4-a253-163d633671eb" } YYSQ6CzOE40mdNXXkPqdYPtoECq+yk99IeCEr6qRlxoOuT1wAKFM5CiCLORsU9MM8Fy8uZU94yVqzJm5GY9yDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: YYSQ6CzOE40mdNXXkPqdYPtoECq+yk99IeCEr6qRlxoOuT1wAKFM5CiCLORsU9MM8Fy8uZU94yVqzJm5GY9yDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18059,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6018a93d6466954435faa7bf6555b0183581df00bc433e5bcfe9dedfbb51df7a"},{"bytes":7856,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"71fd77f059342123980fd4e57c25e4b17632e07be7567d827e0558e7df90e86d"},{"bytes":7530,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8d8bcdfc8ac06514f3514cf59d7e1ca82f719484c2595c0d0b79227f8c5dc5db"},{"bytes":2830,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b367dd0294e3d463106a5f1850b54c6fadd12dca1316360b0ecba6788231045f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c82d4ef6c0ef0198a3dc4dcda784e732fc4b8b4be392b4c41f315ad662d83c01"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4ddfb4d187a7df3abfb3b4ea100c0956967f1f8bd32e3680bbf430f008f87993"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101990"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101990
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101990

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
8d8bcdfc8ac06514f3514cf59d7e1ca82f719484c2595c0d0b79227f8c5dc5db

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101990, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101990" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101990 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101990 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1086 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18059, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6018a93d6466954435faa7bf6555b0183581df00bc433e5bcfe9dedfbb51df7a" }, { "bytes": 7856, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "71fd77f059342123980fd4e57c25e4b17632e07be7567d827e0558e7df90e86d" }, { "bytes": 7530, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8d8bcdfc8ac06514f3514cf59d7e1ca82f719484c2595c0d0b79227f8c5dc5db" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101990/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101990", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7867-8d6e-3225b11de1d1" } fXB+/fZIm5l3oM39501lbOOYJOhk2qdkF1ttg7Jw4OZgJ8AuM57X4b9UNkoCz6wYbQi0ft6kK90BXSkPPkZtDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fXB+/fZIm5l3oM39501lbOOYJOhk2qdkF1ttg7Jw4OZgJ8AuM57X4b9UNkoCz6wYbQi0ft6kK90BXSkPPkZtDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17810,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c93b21cf06537abab3b75bf681c251838d2a3c7b421beb657a3a4e211a6b0060"},{"bytes":7650,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fa5dcdcc6df4d0bded59bed782b717ae2762a0f4faea8c7b894679bb65840afc"},{"bytes":7324,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cf099aad17dd491b2de750f9d70b3576aa68d8ae01e3ef33554bddc3e162b557"},{"bytes":2830,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ec219d38c7d46249ae9e8d8c91313e78eb13a5461420156f6bdf74876c09b632"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c09a68642de1a821fbfc68725fd9ac4a317049609bd966e0ff87439bf0b5ba79"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5ac77f547428d515b2145f08eaefd4a0f3e218500dc209f304400a2adb218632"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101991"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101991
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101991

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
cf099aad17dd491b2de750f9d70b3576aa68d8ae01e3ef33554bddc3e162b557

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101991, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101991" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101991 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101991 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17810, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c93b21cf06537abab3b75bf681c251838d2a3c7b421beb657a3a4e211a6b0060" }, { "bytes": 7650, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fa5dcdcc6df4d0bded59bed782b717ae2762a0f4faea8c7b894679bb65840afc" }, { "bytes": 7324, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cf099aad17dd491b2de750f9d70b3576aa68d8ae01e3ef33554bddc3e162b557" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101991/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101991", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-77b1-a896-549279de8b9f" } zXXdhzbKH7iKGW4oI7BEBFAR8l69tRVT2fbTIukF66l7Xz+QMoncvVRAIpRJUpCUKRbBnn1sqISsnFXYMeRbAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zXXdhzbKH7iKGW4oI7BEBFAR8l69tRVT2fbTIukF66l7Xz+QMoncvVRAIpRJUpCUKRbBnn1sqISsnFXYMeRbAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17330,"name":"index.html","sha256":"153e7fb9c76d753dd39e76271672efa6fa623b637550af85d3042a29e8604c55"},{"bytes":7177,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ab78dff9a237f8ed5c887dda4a41d70c10879050b7c524cf1ad3c1fd817f2796"},{"bytes":6874,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8a12bcbde026c35f9b509c1698f7082002733f6bd180dbb3f36b570b838edc44"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8102c428928c22ae5dda690e9c4b90446c36957f1f4620ffe50e29dd3e85cb22"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9d45fc0d46b368bb204c648a3717dfd293874c9aa13c2906b19c5e767f8fb6c9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"677d120c93768826e4403c5dcfc476d2f0fe29dfebc6a9030e0a45d2796828cf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101992"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101992
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101992

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8a12bcbde026c35f9b509c1698f7082002733f6bd180dbb3f36b570b838edc44

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101992, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101992.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101992" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101992" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101992 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101992 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101992 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101992 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101993

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
02d720c9583da1119782b32c72e520e7042ef70deeeb5bd1621ccf6776c40e09

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101993, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101993" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101993 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101993 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18128, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1f7df43197688844c69b7c662067a251aecf4519680ba96af2b1f64141a93322" }, { "bytes": 7865, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a15e18c9772a33e95454ef73ff4794bd138aefc98912fe495902fb269c214d08" }, { "bytes": 7559, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "02d720c9583da1119782b32c72e520e7042ef70deeeb5bd1621ccf6776c40e09" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101993/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101993", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-772f-924c-c08578779e2e" } xmAjROg1dOiYQzMMXvamBw0QfFziKZtTRKF85QA12XjpXOWsQixcsX6uLSX2h2+Zs/paVh4DXHTQFQSX8PPRDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xmAjROg1dOiYQzMMXvamBw0QfFziKZtTRKF85QA12XjpXOWsQixcsX6uLSX2h2+Zs/paVh4DXHTQFQSX8PPRDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17879,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3590c9ecee5e188d00221f2760d905a3649ffe0d402fc06a966e1c7ea904d97c"},{"bytes":7659,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"41b77d59815913d90173c4ac4a0e997b1c616a3c2110dce41453e879b6a93947"},{"bytes":7353,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9d7bafaee3154e4e4bffadef04fa1587c9b632d662ce8f101efe514ec0767701"},{"bytes":2786,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b8e394e8b75b57f7f669f0ad2461c3b6a9d16dba19f49f8333f6d46b6d48a367"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8097ee5d1e1366ab354fa88727e207830568bff894b60c28210587eb56f10131"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d53d93bdafad524ec5a1ff8411b2e314c4c8cc228c3fc3d27753a92144d55428"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101994"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101994
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101994

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9d7bafaee3154e4e4bffadef04fa1587c9b632d662ce8f101efe514ec0767701

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101994, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101994" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101994 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101994 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17879, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3590c9ecee5e188d00221f2760d905a3649ffe0d402fc06a966e1c7ea904d97c" }, { "bytes": 7659, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "41b77d59815913d90173c4ac4a0e997b1c616a3c2110dce41453e879b6a93947" }, { "bytes": 7353, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9d7bafaee3154e4e4bffadef04fa1587c9b632d662ce8f101efe514ec0767701" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101994/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101994", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7107-8ed2-2c9ce7d7f6a8" } tEOdRQl5PejOtjJmpexpKyD7NUUilJcBwxM0bHnXN8Do1zslPy20HMPYqeTKcRLFJbKsMt0QhqUlGacTbCLnDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tEOdRQl5PejOtjJmpexpKyD7NUUilJcBwxM0bHnXN8Do1zslPy20HMPYqeTKcRLFJbKsMt0QhqUlGacTbCLnDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17331,"name":"index.html","sha256":"02c54c7cd308f361518039372a593ceedf023c7a3b3d60e9ebffb7c847dd95ec"},{"bytes":7178,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"66aba3a2e177f0f60c4f78ccb735548bca8a1f72f1e457498f9d06015ab83bb1"},{"bytes":6875,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8834b47e1c3c6c600fa96af4388e5ac2d521f3906902d65ee6d59ce9580229c5"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8b96b9aac359a4cfbdcaa88b4e533976be8e04aa040c2e5714f7c877392acea3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e6e709680069e07aed7134f220e18ccfe56e1b211d6135a7d1e99782d5f224f6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"23f57c780ae3004ecf06319e817a1ce7d14da54b8badb1447214e8423423618f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101995"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101995
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101995

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8834b47e1c3c6c600fa96af4388e5ac2d521f3906902d65ee6d59ce9580229c5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101995, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101995" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101995 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101995 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 992 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17331, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "02c54c7cd308f361518039372a593ceedf023c7a3b3d60e9ebffb7c847dd95ec" }, { "bytes": 7178, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "66aba3a2e177f0f60c4f78ccb735548bca8a1f72f1e457498f9d06015ab83bb1" }, { "bytes": 6875, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8834b47e1c3c6c600fa96af4388e5ac2d521f3906902d65ee6d59ce9580229c5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101995/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101995", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-76aa-9ff0-986f311c86e8" } 4KaiwH9LuKP1nNkukxn0KE4Pr8QWgeSpunW5CwUyZHk4wMZCcteU7PAz0tRuC0no+gCayEBPvAAXDPmwPPgYCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4KaiwH9LuKP1nNkukxn0KE4Pr8QWgeSpunW5CwUyZHk4wMZCcteU7PAz0tRuC0no+gCayEBPvAAXDPmwPPgYCA== {"files":[{"bytes":18129,"name":"index.html","sha256":"076e38e9e6cae0a2b2b3efd9c0809c12e531c9b412ea881d5ecae83ae6b293f3"},{"bytes":7866,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f6f9e996979388a995f6f588f56ed67385be4c0e937d64f34a19d1093301e9b0"},{"bytes":7560,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c79541155e5d5d5e86017d51903488b316a65c3fea8f13620b91bc86345ef590"},{"bytes":2786,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ed7132b8cd7f642a59a87ad506dc13954a47272b3bd3dfcf6ddcc0cac5786111"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"cd2354134ae4a8aab23cbb050ac1cd0594224dd931cc0dd8c666498f5768c23a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"19276210ac0588533e4c4698ba3463b8affe090394265093d61567b8fe99d8a7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101996"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101996
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101996

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c79541155e5d5d5e86017d51903488b316a65c3fea8f13620b91bc86345ef590

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101996, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101996" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101996 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101996 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18129, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "076e38e9e6cae0a2b2b3efd9c0809c12e531c9b412ea881d5ecae83ae6b293f3" }, { "bytes": 7866, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f6f9e996979388a995f6f588f56ed67385be4c0e937d64f34a19d1093301e9b0" }, { "bytes": 7560, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c79541155e5d5d5e86017d51903488b316a65c3fea8f13620b91bc86345ef590" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101996/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101996", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-72cd-a965-df90fe148127" } dPAlSxfjQkFqzKyayrp8Mvn02yH6+/ADy9oqJ85wA+HzaGDxsYDnIYu0MHNtcFl5PCN8ZljyvzDE4RjK57zZDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: dPAlSxfjQkFqzKyayrp8Mvn02yH6+/ADy9oqJ85wA+HzaGDxsYDnIYu0MHNtcFl5PCN8ZljyvzDE4RjK57zZDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17880,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5a13f22695af86835fefa3c08eb26de7f93a3992d777293ea93a9afdca818198"},{"bytes":7660,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f9baca8c9e703b1ddb013737cee3abbdfa018569b63169a9dfc02be8cc2a7305"},{"bytes":7354,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"294186d415309c297a5c24179c9bf6ca718d2623eafeb4e55bf2dc1ab65514cd"},{"bytes":2786,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"978bcafdcdc7d3ae149b8df8d4fbecd0580a31bd9e9f1919ce25704be1bd938d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6bed6f65bc9d11aecfba5a74a48cb71ead8b16c3b937a859398e6d9da6fdb095"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d8a7dc932697af8d237a9265380b736766c58cdb59ea9e42f12d2bf1268b91bf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101997"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101997
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101997

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
294186d415309c297a5c24179c9bf6ca718d2623eafeb4e55bf2dc1ab65514cd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101997, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101997" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101997 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101997 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17880, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5a13f22695af86835fefa3c08eb26de7f93a3992d777293ea93a9afdca818198" }, { "bytes": 7660, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f9baca8c9e703b1ddb013737cee3abbdfa018569b63169a9dfc02be8cc2a7305" }, { "bytes": 7354, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "294186d415309c297a5c24179c9bf6ca718d2623eafeb4e55bf2dc1ab65514cd" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101997/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000101997", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7034-a643-7fdb60eb37e9" } LUW37UTLvq6yC0MyJ/kzFi51e9ur1vfqK4KfOmHT97LAjYQp5yFARgiFEtaHWZjpaC/xHToEby+5VgjVMz01Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LUW37UTLvq6yC0MyJ/kzFi51e9ur1vfqK4KfOmHT97LAjYQp5yFARgiFEtaHWZjpaC/xHToEby+5VgjVMz01Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":17335,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e2acd48ef14510e24085e7e040ec1c9feb147d3e9ef9e22b047a2fcf34dfae49"},{"bytes":7182,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c6af0addde5db236d48fa578581a552148f0bf6f3bbd7fbf5963dd939c948dbe"},{"bytes":6879,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1a6717a3128b28a0909dfdffcaf59696f16d235061fbff30bfa0a556119b430d"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"921f35394059062da5bf477e6989c7d70c4b6bb316c6d7d7af98c6b40897d7d7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b05baa754af0d7b548f3ae3cc9baa2ff3c40784fd32fed417e55a5936f4cd6cf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b4725918d4df9beda25146022d4ec0b887f4a0e504138effe9a31bcad280463e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000101998"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000101998
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101998

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
1a6717a3128b28a0909dfdffcaf59696f16d235061fbff30bfa0a556119b430d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101998, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101998.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101998" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101998" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101998 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101998 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101998 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101998 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000101999

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
625cb92f6a91fc055a6ab2257f1ab5c7665f3e0ba197de607653cc814261154f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000101999, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101999.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000101999" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101999" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000101999 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101999 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000101999 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000101999 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102000

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
714c64cb0d311c71999dc5dc0542a7f00cef328b7945081c36b824e42db6aedf

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102000, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102000" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102000 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102000 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17884, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c04ee0abe50c63448e127422297aa56190781b11994a5f4fbe6b25594cb99860" }, { "bytes": 7664, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "dfa3d383c7d0430f790f0b2b609d101c59fd8c04da16e4ad0522338f43f90ff3" }, { "bytes": 7358, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "714c64cb0d311c71999dc5dc0542a7f00cef328b7945081c36b824e42db6aedf" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102000/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102000", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-74b5-b38b-c2d886a83d4e" } CCPiibd5uHr+tbcqDkArFHcWw6zI8lSp+mLGp660zBEU24QDzAHEV1eSIY0vvgXk5s9dMe3M7KHpqRjNnLdgDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CCPiibd5uHr+tbcqDkArFHcWw6zI8lSp+mLGp660zBEU24QDzAHEV1eSIY0vvgXk5s9dMe3M7KHpqRjNnLdgDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17508,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7e0b3e87bbfd09b43d803cf4fb06ddcd7693e7e80a28ff6911328fd4cbfb7012"},{"bytes":7327,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d189f7c5ffb8759ee57e8f4fffb101d6ef9b11e63ca7d6f7cb0984b319b99415"},{"bytes":7036,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c74726671b08d36c60fb0f389c13771304bca9d5b5fe05bc367b23433134fb7b"},{"bytes":2752,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"85378db11bcab78ecd8d5966d7c91397b225843e6c430ba021e372dbc34e0440"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c1322a7f3578bcf5f37b9eae181695818b4bafdb8de7b317a495fd97530f2a1e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5e558cb115c01a8e2e2c1d02217f0c29894e810235f131ee9c32f4f9a36e8b63"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102001"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102001
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102001

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c74726671b08d36c60fb0f389c13771304bca9d5b5fe05bc367b23433134fb7b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102001, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102001" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102001 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102001 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17508, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7e0b3e87bbfd09b43d803cf4fb06ddcd7693e7e80a28ff6911328fd4cbfb7012" }, { "bytes": 7327, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d189f7c5ffb8759ee57e8f4fffb101d6ef9b11e63ca7d6f7cb0984b319b99415" }, { "bytes": 7036, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c74726671b08d36c60fb0f389c13771304bca9d5b5fe05bc367b23433134fb7b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102001/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102001", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ca1-9780-3dacf2f73da6" } P+PR1F1WmcY7SLmPdb7t20E2JcV1HBHhr8a1pTifSjySfu4DA/QDFGpXE9E8GYCt5u9sOZtg921nx/s/CR+dAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: P+PR1F1WmcY7SLmPdb7t20E2JcV1HBHhr8a1pTifSjySfu4DA/QDFGpXE9E8GYCt5u9sOZtg921nx/s/CR+dAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18306,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3a293e854516eb81045d961fa19374d0193992b3f30ba215f6cec696b0d079ee"},{"bytes":8015,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"94692d49a77251af0594ebfa8879c3df89f915dc6a79368f10beab237b2275a3"},{"bytes":7721,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f6faa680705de745beee5c606eed3f28530c5f09d0720ecc39516a7d64aaebaa"},{"bytes":2761,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5aa73c2ff1ff65b17722e3d03a218bdb32ae2c25f1a42e113318b53bec1c5709"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4fe0ec5e439e11ccc0c8c327d222b668a3ed8c08457f1728e913e7cbb78d69f2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"cc0adc6bec28b2a68b70c06b4e6cd340a56d4e012478d748005902d43e398d91"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102002"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102002
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102002

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f6faa680705de745beee5c606eed3f28530c5f09d0720ecc39516a7d64aaebaa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102002, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102002" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102002 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102002 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1137 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18306, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3a293e854516eb81045d961fa19374d0193992b3f30ba215f6cec696b0d079ee" }, { "bytes": 8015, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "94692d49a77251af0594ebfa8879c3df89f915dc6a79368f10beab237b2275a3" }, { "bytes": 7721, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f6faa680705de745beee5c606eed3f28530c5f09d0720ecc39516a7d64aaebaa" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102002/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102002", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7fd8-8b2e-8497861ef1bb" } F4+VXaPzmCjvnt4eoYV58uawtZPTb6xu7BcK6E8nT8zgaq9rxcnvh59X0FSL+IW29IftV6EvC5MwJnqwv8YaDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: F4+VXaPzmCjvnt4eoYV58uawtZPTb6xu7BcK6E8nT8zgaq9rxcnvh59X0FSL+IW29IftV6EvC5MwJnqwv8YaDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18057,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4fd1abd2fc315f476d3690cff00e8d90b8400d81178d4f0bcf821f862d1cd33d"},{"bytes":7809,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0868ea66eb2dc73176f9fc363ccb15bd46ca6217d86aba69b93c2b5635f1f380"},{"bytes":7515,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fbdf2cf1b64faa66fc63178f958562cac07692ec0189848b32e3938670f19db5"},{"bytes":2761,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"66ff3fadbd9b67560b98cef8bebaed1a5b9790377ee3a0455aa54a87a52e71ba"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"40264c2553888297ccf8fee5136d02a24a1a903c868e53380b02b4b71bd42837"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"25916e80573e2a795c72f3c8efb37e3a99ed325169871dcadfae31460fef474a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102003"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102003
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102003

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fbdf2cf1b64faa66fc63178f958562cac07692ec0189848b32e3938670f19db5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102003, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102003" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102003 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102003 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1103 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18057, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4fd1abd2fc315f476d3690cff00e8d90b8400d81178d4f0bcf821f862d1cd33d" }, { "bytes": 7809, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0868ea66eb2dc73176f9fc363ccb15bd46ca6217d86aba69b93c2b5635f1f380" }, { "bytes": 7515, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fbdf2cf1b64faa66fc63178f958562cac07692ec0189848b32e3938670f19db5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102003/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102003", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7897-a41d-2f3e8f921afe" } IjJSLxUL6xf27WF9yWsSwQkzXfsD/fkXxpgYRyWA94n2/CyCXh5rM9aS0JlPB2wLEDnB6hfWX30jLVTE2OVbBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: IjJSLxUL6xf27WF9yWsSwQkzXfsD/fkXxpgYRyWA94n2/CyCXh5rM9aS0JlPB2wLEDnB6hfWX30jLVTE2OVbBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17454,"name":"index.html","sha256":"381f61f54b5ccb30d54dbc619156c432ec2dd549f7b4918adc279944305d610a"},{"bytes":7273,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ecfa7efebd13cc00ad54ade188bcf703bc59f0317a5e1f56dc8f66cf8ef8531f"},{"bytes":6982,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d34e373332a6eea1ac4d18e3d60eed1f0e695f5c6676aaaf92d535620da03bb3"},{"bytes":2752,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"87fa42b4b403245efe42d1e65aabde5286735cd58e9eba07e74061d6ab355704"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1026f7cfd04b711d27aeca14503c8ff5f1cec8591fc45e7ff968bd67798581b4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"13ed58f640688b22610a438711982af6a6559ca70d64e232ffbba73cdf53fd63"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102004"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102004
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102004

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
d34e373332a6eea1ac4d18e3d60eed1f0e695f5c6676aaaf92d535620da03bb3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102004, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102004.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102004" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102004" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102004 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102004 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102004 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102004 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102005

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6f419356ff543dc56cddd20b7dcf3ab2366413dfa7cef746a0029707e56e0e8c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102005, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102005" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102005 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102005 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1122 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18252, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ab449877237e51594894a19c0712be651ed2ebc7da73802799e41987ab73eeb3" }, { "bytes": 7961, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fa6ee59616e90cfcd21b94d72ebf57c3fc271bddfb5c2d944283c742b4981451" }, { "bytes": 7667, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6f419356ff543dc56cddd20b7dcf3ab2366413dfa7cef746a0029707e56e0e8c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102005/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102005", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-72f3-9c71-e984f29c2cf5" } alNDjalFd0miRgH6hRnzl8+yzaSs5bCjvDqRvSWZaPc94yVZe+11pkNwevRP7os7laFCPjpTFRdghOxIUrr9Cg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: alNDjalFd0miRgH6hRnzl8+yzaSs5bCjvDqRvSWZaPc94yVZe+11pkNwevRP7os7laFCPjpTFRdghOxIUrr9Cg== {"files":[{"bytes":18003,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7df0f3605222923817b9d5ae1e2eea9656a596e2e3982b8fdeec3f0184c43456"},{"bytes":7755,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2f2ed3c455a88393d420d53d021f3a4a56fd6eece4e1e48ff923f55250980cfd"},{"bytes":7461,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b9c1ddf7bc4b227bb53643e54398eb8ee17b71daf10eb00a8f1ea2ab4db1aadd"},{"bytes":2761,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"75c40ef50dca372a54c8241d85bfdef9cac6f2605781fb698d849e84c5e8f44f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0e4f45276501e68d1b08f51e73160de834bc07d1985327b63ffe77222231a656"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e0a912c79c284a056ab355f74bb8d6e12bfd8842354bee7d8be6f271b3180ee2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102006"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102006
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102006

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b9c1ddf7bc4b227bb53643e54398eb8ee17b71daf10eb00a8f1ea2ab4db1aadd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102006, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102006.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102006" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102006" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102006 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102006 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102006 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102006 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102007

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
550d14cb3138a9ccab42ab4421d6ab1f3a9e4752deed0cf11949dbc60457e246

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102007, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102007" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102007 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102007 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 980 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17224, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b539ea1bc94be7021f24bf8cefe5aabe063ced122d66435e65e1af1b77abca1f" }, { "bytes": 7087, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "74e264a21bb855d7abf2f17270930a1b76da64fae1e9d545dcc07913688b0536" }, { "bytes": 6792, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "550d14cb3138a9ccab42ab4421d6ab1f3a9e4752deed0cf11949dbc60457e246" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102007/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102007", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7ba4-a4e8-9a134cf32cab" } LgfysI9vRZoSdJxczs6mCrCZvjqC8CKo1oVmDFY8QzBVIPKLGebaBbj5x34xyvvovQiNuY+IIJ5jG0ZkE8wIBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LgfysI9vRZoSdJxczs6mCrCZvjqC8CKo1oVmDFY8QzBVIPKLGebaBbj5x34xyvvovQiNuY+IIJ5jG0ZkE8wIBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18022,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ff2574ef7ebcf107cd361410909e0d27e543e41f193fefdd581b78ed973dc495"},{"bytes":7775,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"69015068be67a6c42476d01f9f7bae2908a063cb89cb423536ea0f7cdf8ed912"},{"bytes":7477,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1874757add4ecf1c7c428f8831013467020b9bc33fd245fa52f8ecd8a956ba80"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f13f9de3b48638f5bb5d11df20a0b864737af9db17bb91b833e46d70e0b568bb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7d288e96ffb2c6d54e0fe504ec556586bca0c707f877a74f51ba581d4d78460e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"bdcad9d79a2caec924a8e85460e985f4350ec34b486b8b42c730dc0bf377c9b8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102008"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102008
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102008

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1874757add4ecf1c7c428f8831013467020b9bc33fd245fa52f8ecd8a956ba80

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102008, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102008" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102008 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102008 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1085 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18022, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ff2574ef7ebcf107cd361410909e0d27e543e41f193fefdd581b78ed973dc495" }, { "bytes": 7775, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "69015068be67a6c42476d01f9f7bae2908a063cb89cb423536ea0f7cdf8ed912" }, { "bytes": 7477, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1874757add4ecf1c7c428f8831013467020b9bc33fd245fa52f8ecd8a956ba80" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102008/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102008", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7180-b3cd-8ceec33b4398" } ntJelwJzZRNxvWaTIXE3zZj4pHik7Sx4NXVrUbln1oiKFx+u8Zpzt8ZG3d0A8Iaa9kOUuLCIYKhh47XDofpmCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ntJelwJzZRNxvWaTIXE3zZj4pHik7Sx4NXVrUbln1oiKFx+u8Zpzt8ZG3d0A8Iaa9kOUuLCIYKhh47XDofpmCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17773,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4354e666f60971d65dfe1e96d366b673afbefe87c955e8add2bccb73cca6e1a4"},{"bytes":7569,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b3f709f7fa46730aed0c2fb40ee4f094167b120fe4d4ea575ccf2db43ef2849e"},{"bytes":7271,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cd3e70451aac64eec97373f079099950cddf2c8badac54d7efaeefeaf0ef60d3"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e6e861a9b8cc0e0a7d88268cb9394f737b6af1265a90ce391b0792c02efa00b9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"31c8e04850a272737de459d24dd15628e049b9c089f5b91232e0c3e59dabc6df"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"91f0cf5858d88c14155f6aeb0fd933c609e13e89b1fd24aa76645939d790d520"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102009"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102009
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102009

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cd3e70451aac64eec97373f079099950cddf2c8badac54d7efaeefeaf0ef60d3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102009, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102009.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102009" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102009" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102009 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102009 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102009 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102009 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102010

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
9b552b8f519ccf69fc8119f5f0872194bb0613b2b4833b9de4658689a5bb6b05

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102010, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102010.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102010" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102010" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102010 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102010 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102010 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102010 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102011

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9f4a53bb9d6e6e8e739f2e897359d4edd86b1205d294f23aaf639d789580cf20

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102011, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102011.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102011" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102011" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102011 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102011 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102011 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102011 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102012

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
23f804148eb2307972e13d43fdc6ad6c88d41819d8cd2869fbcab3eb699ee34b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102012, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102012" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Three isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102012 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Three isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102012 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, three isolation valves, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1051 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17773, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c6974bb359d8323211e3a1036bd1ea5f54311b75ecc880b4c8e70882ec5f3192" }, { "bytes": 7569, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8614254875de3f89e293f3c90485323a9dd32bb9626035b71896f0213adbc053" }, { "bytes": 7271, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "23f804148eb2307972e13d43fdc6ad6c88d41819d8cd2869fbcab3eb699ee34b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102012/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102012", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7286-873d-2b77d99e377f" } iS2gDcZUAXw72dVvnMKwQWncdqm3oZKt2JGcjYMxaEXuwicgLve9UJkxbYvmr4oZrokfpAtCZTx0epC+MLGUAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: iS2gDcZUAXw72dVvnMKwQWncdqm3oZKt2JGcjYMxaEXuwicgLve9UJkxbYvmr4oZrokfpAtCZTx0epC+MLGUAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17444,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2091521f80f2825753ea61f6232c5e41b4b159498c227e75ecef8c83d1c6d71c"},{"bytes":7264,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3fcbddf108854c7858e1d0b7496171b729fe160a9b7c658d751598267b182532"},{"bytes":6958,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"732f420e6ad7a629b744589c8601d8465b65efbbc1dd766286279a708c808d99"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a94b31fd1da4d237233bc7ef4dc5b8326e10375ccc0c3ff172caa7347174aa77"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"366d260d3c8329355662d18c9f76fc705feebcea1300e1cb667f0617c8dca237"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fb5890da041450042c750144c25d2439b1f9e353769f62cdcf1ad10c47bf156b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102013"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102013
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102013

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
732f420e6ad7a629b744589c8601d8465b65efbbc1dd766286279a708c808d99

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102013, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102013" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102013 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102013 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17444, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2091521f80f2825753ea61f6232c5e41b4b159498c227e75ecef8c83d1c6d71c" }, { "bytes": 7264, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3fcbddf108854c7858e1d0b7496171b729fe160a9b7c658d751598267b182532" }, { "bytes": 6958, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "732f420e6ad7a629b744589c8601d8465b65efbbc1dd766286279a708c808d99" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102013/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102013", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-702e-9efc-bec6f2a39feb" } 432Aj+wDsBIoAPEb5tVE6R/L32FywgPaB40rqxEu06mJsYv8Tpo79YymvhvCEUnuOx0ceij++O1EfY/ypkboBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 432Aj+wDsBIoAPEb5tVE6R/L32FywgPaB40rqxEu06mJsYv8Tpo79YymvhvCEUnuOx0ceij++O1EfY/ypkboBA== {"files":[{"bytes":18242,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a32e6ea9ce406f3c2e6dc731d9a5aae75a47099c53dd495a0e693bee44f0ca2f"},{"bytes":7952,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5c682079562718cdd110078a1c2fb7c483df24116b184dcb9e08ee6b31dd807e"},{"bytes":7643,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9a2970dcab713fe1902aec401cada57df960e5f27dfd558029caf537331c0c9f"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"549c8d4e7721a8ede10c9aa26e9040c8aa298829adf1c97174048c83edf9169a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f0f501e867619a19a19cb77526a3d0071bca462d28b2b7cf3cb50c8b01469c95"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6ee25e3ac192178d05b4a5ad1faf832d9f4992ce8164e6b179d57228faec6b0b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102014"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102014
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102014

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9a2970dcab713fe1902aec401cada57df960e5f27dfd558029caf537331c0c9f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102014, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102014" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102014 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102014 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18242, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a32e6ea9ce406f3c2e6dc731d9a5aae75a47099c53dd495a0e693bee44f0ca2f" }, { "bytes": 7952, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5c682079562718cdd110078a1c2fb7c483df24116b184dcb9e08ee6b31dd807e" }, { "bytes": 7643, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9a2970dcab713fe1902aec401cada57df960e5f27dfd558029caf537331c0c9f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102014/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102014", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7fa0-8cf9-f312afa423b2" } rikJwZVgQjWPjyqdJaoRxHD5ohogWNyfmGLiGFVISJHtmFVbHkvpLoIuLJHcaHAffoa0XMC2iNGfgvfLD42VAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: rikJwZVgQjWPjyqdJaoRxHD5ohogWNyfmGLiGFVISJHtmFVbHkvpLoIuLJHcaHAffoa0XMC2iNGfgvfLD42VAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17993,"name":"index.html","sha256":"426bd84e6c8e0fc13eace456dc8dd1898921065271c5a877aefb8e376f9fd1f7"},{"bytes":7746,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"deeb80893e9c228c8ad4e628c673e8d340ac2a25517b8076d11a1509ba4276a6"},{"bytes":7437,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5b674ed3f878bb36f62e197b9b9e8bdef942b32819d6cd5dfe7c57ac3d512180"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f7633512cf98ccd09ad8611687a0198fe76ebca746ba856114e34c0557e20b40"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"54574c016d34872127010d61f2c55ae17d72db0f676f1e1a8908e12fc330716b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"563d7b5fdb2df23c2fe7e15b86b2e315fc4bcaa86f3448aab2a353dc3fcdfc3f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102015"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102015
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102015

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5b674ed3f878bb36f62e197b9b9e8bdef942b32819d6cd5dfe7c57ac3d512180

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102015, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102015" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102015 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102015 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17993, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "426bd84e6c8e0fc13eace456dc8dd1898921065271c5a877aefb8e376f9fd1f7" }, { "bytes": 7746, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "deeb80893e9c228c8ad4e628c673e8d340ac2a25517b8076d11a1509ba4276a6" }, { "bytes": 7437, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5b674ed3f878bb36f62e197b9b9e8bdef942b32819d6cd5dfe7c57ac3d512180" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102015/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102015", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7a74-b9b2-bbe27636b89a" } Gx7e5nVgstbTS/aFHalKSjY8+JbkFEJpoUZpzva0SJHtiQ23Gjx/3pqvIm447wn0OYi7vYeg3g0X13Nk3XG6BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Gx7e5nVgstbTS/aFHalKSjY8+JbkFEJpoUZpzva0SJHtiQ23Gjx/3pqvIm447wn0OYi7vYeg3g0X13Nk3XG6BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17445,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a87af6a93a73bdfe388e3e9ab18011da17e1cb90b470aa08b0ecbfcd7c50aed7"},{"bytes":7265,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a5b7a4d0c17e0bf07a7cdd567b6f3f4b196385f427287604bf9a5fc3938cf7c1"},{"bytes":6959,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e68a9d670fd52259276dffae4f894a507c322108d9299afb0ab0f0de9d6b279d"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0f4a210a259d698fab10bdbea5fec2fc56d7684e7c2b01256bfd5df33c5b1360"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"059903f3d11d85594ace088df8f0ddf5b27c02d0a4cfe4081d5964af34c86bcf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"eab589e93e74b82d48ba049b379afb5e3361ff3bd139065601cc3a5600938ae0"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102016"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102016
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102016

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e68a9d670fd52259276dffae4f894a507c322108d9299afb0ab0f0de9d6b279d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102016, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102016" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102016 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102016 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17445, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a87af6a93a73bdfe388e3e9ab18011da17e1cb90b470aa08b0ecbfcd7c50aed7" }, { "bytes": 7265, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a5b7a4d0c17e0bf07a7cdd567b6f3f4b196385f427287604bf9a5fc3938cf7c1" }, { "bytes": 6959, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e68a9d670fd52259276dffae4f894a507c322108d9299afb0ab0f0de9d6b279d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102016/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102016", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c91-bdcc-621d658a02fd" } m/SAEubfIqjcJQkOCq4PgpfRSI9ZpSR/kicBN3+q/x7EnNEUtgH48BYV5NU0fIGtBPQ6ttF3vEstJFQMf7LZDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: m/SAEubfIqjcJQkOCq4PgpfRSI9ZpSR/kicBN3+q/x7EnNEUtgH48BYV5NU0fIGtBPQ6ttF3vEstJFQMf7LZDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18243,"name":"index.html","sha256":"46062570149ac3f6b7edf8eb19498e574f2ceb9a1cfee7d37d2e7cf28a400366"},{"bytes":7953,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"251275d671dd490980bc15142344f783edbbc2017e793ee19596dcab2b10c802"},{"bytes":7644,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"67c43f9fd4b9faa20324477457f58539deabd812daab1d14c8aefdf433fe9115"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e098225725492900f59d380faaf8598d8f55ebd1709a0b86542ecc90d4a16db5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a6cd95d04f9aa3ec39adbda783ab1edf6292c9d0618256e0177f39c1666d141e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"af0bccb1bae737b0c22591bab6dcc6e6f5d7bca7bf795ae26ae2e622897d0af5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102017"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102017
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102017

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
67c43f9fd4b9faa20324477457f58539deabd812daab1d14c8aefdf433fe9115

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102017, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102017" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102017 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102017 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18243, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "46062570149ac3f6b7edf8eb19498e574f2ceb9a1cfee7d37d2e7cf28a400366" }, { "bytes": 7953, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "251275d671dd490980bc15142344f783edbbc2017e793ee19596dcab2b10c802" }, { "bytes": 7644, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "67c43f9fd4b9faa20324477457f58539deabd812daab1d14c8aefdf433fe9115" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102017/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102017", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-79a0-a109-5b1101e05855" } fU52KcsN4oaRhD3434nB3AK3bDXM4SjGCfroNxCkye46IC1Y459Ua4Vzp5l+RLMBHwiKNwdWuDViise5R411BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fU52KcsN4oaRhD3434nB3AK3bDXM4SjGCfroNxCkye46IC1Y459Ua4Vzp5l+RLMBHwiKNwdWuDViise5R411BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17994,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ea787182e77fd7132381b7830a5963045bb0e1b1a49bd2cc7fcc2141a0dbf543"},{"bytes":7747,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f5ae3e512f8ec08444f258d77ca6109c35a49b8869e1fe3633b455f03b1d6b55"},{"bytes":7438,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"378f30decd24c8c98a22417c0b336543635db127ffb3f38961eff5be3258117a"},{"bytes":2778,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b8e6d33ccdb9252b9861463ced746ad33b590a958b037428328e66f5cb0087b7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"00f79633099024b59998754988ae55e5c9548d4a8a400a911e017a7f30a5b9f3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5359238d0d07d2ea974aa2296368ab2c48e96780837f766913201cab503240c5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102018"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102018
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102018

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
378f30decd24c8c98a22417c0b336543635db127ffb3f38961eff5be3258117a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102018, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102018" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102018 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102018 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17994, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ea787182e77fd7132381b7830a5963045bb0e1b1a49bd2cc7fcc2141a0dbf543" }, { "bytes": 7747, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f5ae3e512f8ec08444f258d77ca6109c35a49b8869e1fe3633b455f03b1d6b55" }, { "bytes": 7438, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "378f30decd24c8c98a22417c0b336543635db127ffb3f38961eff5be3258117a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102018/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102018", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c66-b12e-ff76b730375a" } 20XsxA1HbdJez2E1nEQklt0NBVKW0gDBeYJ6StufyxhlMO6CFAlicDS1Fu9MUzJ7xi2vG4NNp6KWgUNnwoXjAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 20XsxA1HbdJez2E1nEQklt0NBVKW0gDBeYJ6StufyxhlMO6CFAlicDS1Fu9MUzJ7xi2vG4NNp6KWgUNnwoXjAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17449,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4e64be15d05b216f08bf05ef1170395e5853666f35b8d38d45d8f9c82d57bb03"},{"bytes":7269,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"69ba800b30987b81d191995ad57d9eb25f360f2613ae48ba137d93caf44acf93"},{"bytes":6963,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"18ef4cd702bb8a1257ac7fa64b1b5f4fd5205470e7264e54f75750a726c223e7"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"168ffead2f61532190639a83629f2597be5059fe20faa899351fd6e05a39276b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2fca6b5c4c7065647e7ca1068961d70fc645436c668c77850156ec42c36a87b0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2b03c369a4169035672753f39b0981458217be788f209c2dce3a5340a3df1d95"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102019"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102019
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102019

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
18ef4cd702bb8a1257ac7fa64b1b5f4fd5205470e7264e54f75750a726c223e7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102019, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102019.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102019" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102019" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102019 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102019 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102019 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102019 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102020

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
545fabdcd47bb706f61046ac15f14c3674233fdf2492a6b3061af088aefa8e34

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102020, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102020.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102020" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102020" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102020 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102020 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102020 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102020 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102021

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
4a7ccd2f72d5c5ba58d5fa8a664b993c2b8a46e72edbeb53955a86d8c076b6fe

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102021, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102021" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102021 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102021 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17998, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6ebfb77d2283298eef594be5bf2617b6916ac259223637a252561ec8c1cc3c0b" }, { "bytes": 7751, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "76461ac2734412aa6ffccc6c4abb8f24fb2a1962a4777359afd9423edf1dc765" }, { "bytes": 7442, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4a7ccd2f72d5c5ba58d5fa8a664b993c2b8a46e72edbeb53955a86d8c076b6fe" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102021/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102021", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7481-b6b3-8506c0effe84" } qu1zNMpFXeZX50C/EE5l7qfl7TwlTZ4W7+7yweqTZoHWd9vdLPP8/HLgiMTZd9Bt2+7adECFZcIbgRhjLnShAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: qu1zNMpFXeZX50C/EE5l7qfl7TwlTZ4W7+7yweqTZoHWd9vdLPP8/HLgiMTZd9Bt2+7adECFZcIbgRhjLnShAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17630,"name":"index.html","sha256":"02e7b2217d65f011ca44f985b4b0fb7b496d0eb4fc75dbc0bd72b198b8ef0073"},{"bytes":7420,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d6615e43dfe15d4c427703b2346e02ce17f550a714f0fad4afc6799278c630cc"},{"bytes":7125,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2f682aecbf9b0d6b53f0a8f547b556a5054f60951d3c8dfefbcc082736a06b3f"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"05ae7fe75437beaf67fa03fb5ff9f56b3f6630d0b387e0491da290cb4297706d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"371d9011c83d23baaf2a18c9b3fc2bed14f8496ac0f30b9afade75e9cace6c8c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6658cd8c1519ecce7ab7460dfab92470a24fc4028aa340ca55bf6c999583eef7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102022"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102022
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102022

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2f682aecbf9b0d6b53f0a8f547b556a5054f60951d3c8dfefbcc082736a06b3f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102022, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102022" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102022 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102022 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17630, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "02e7b2217d65f011ca44f985b4b0fb7b496d0eb4fc75dbc0bd72b198b8ef0073" }, { "bytes": 7420, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d6615e43dfe15d4c427703b2346e02ce17f550a714f0fad4afc6799278c630cc" }, { "bytes": 7125, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2f682aecbf9b0d6b53f0a8f547b556a5054f60951d3c8dfefbcc082736a06b3f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102022/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102022", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-71a2-a439-2b61859cb2bb" } 65k/cLSEb40eMNZmu4fMs48UjBvWVBORTM2JoEGFssMkDtn3lEoPam/ZmqveHf06nG64ld7PDdjO2ZAED9dVBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 65k/cLSEb40eMNZmu4fMs48UjBvWVBORTM2JoEGFssMkDtn3lEoPam/ZmqveHf06nG64ld7PDdjO2ZAED9dVBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18428,"name":"index.html","sha256":"806a84fb749f2873bcbf807dd77552422cbbc3382109735d260db9a655848613"},{"bytes":8108,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c35bee5335b063c86aeb9f69aae8c38677e588bf57c35c1fef50c3b5f25ac4bc"},{"bytes":7810,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"590ae7b5270d8e57f6e66f99c65c6202c78233dd7c7dbb811a18cc07e566b727"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"82954450d1e10e894daf27806133791036d0d53b4fdd306aec79ce7995c60656"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"eb96be4af0f8743bb24cfcc2f3107bc58cba551603b176f95bffb765ee59347c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d8650ff2e4b3715f0bf48eaede72623038d5ca357354a56078222d8e3c5c4224"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102023"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102023
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102023

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
590ae7b5270d8e57f6e66f99c65c6202c78233dd7c7dbb811a18cc07e566b727

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102023, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102023" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102023 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102023 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18428, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "806a84fb749f2873bcbf807dd77552422cbbc3382109735d260db9a655848613" }, { "bytes": 8108, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c35bee5335b063c86aeb9f69aae8c38677e588bf57c35c1fef50c3b5f25ac4bc" }, { "bytes": 7810, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "590ae7b5270d8e57f6e66f99c65c6202c78233dd7c7dbb811a18cc07e566b727" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102023/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102023", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7e74-8ddf-42e08447efbd" } THskWqbk0Lsfe77z+G1ObYVMSaOvHQ42ErArn5P78tIXbXIC7NKCM0fZR5qs9R8Qw98UcJMTUPcSQSu9gaL0Ag== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: THskWqbk0Lsfe77z+G1ObYVMSaOvHQ42ErArn5P78tIXbXIC7NKCM0fZR5qs9R8Qw98UcJMTUPcSQSu9gaL0Ag== {"files":[{"bytes":18179,"name":"index.html","sha256":"211f22c1d9cd7f57d1cd1ae7fd1de4999278de778349cbd7d63b08ad488414fa"},{"bytes":7902,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c0be1d91899bc9877539889fa2c14d14aa82cd0199ed27b340675cb26b21de2f"},{"bytes":7604,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b748b0f1d649a5bba62257d22d03abfa842593e331b7549e99a2555440cfa492"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"93e51e643616c497aa5b87601b9ef9483cb8333a7dd54f4ca0251243476162d5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"08f86492005f5118d5b2993882b4dd061385c3c2c15e06e19951a02aace460e7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"499b539ed2ef4104a92d5bfe813de14c607d6ae0398f759f2898210c8fb61eca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102024"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102024
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102024

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b748b0f1d649a5bba62257d22d03abfa842593e331b7549e99a2555440cfa492

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102024, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102024" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102024 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102024 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18179, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "211f22c1d9cd7f57d1cd1ae7fd1de4999278de778349cbd7d63b08ad488414fa" }, { "bytes": 7902, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c0be1d91899bc9877539889fa2c14d14aa82cd0199ed27b340675cb26b21de2f" }, { "bytes": 7604, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b748b0f1d649a5bba62257d22d03abfa842593e331b7549e99a2555440cfa492" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102024/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102024", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-74b4-9729-4a63016d774e" } yV71bsQfDjCw1xKP3UFiZCp2vbZqGmENFbsJtiCwexZjghhmK52MtVt9zdtwd93khFGBI15v6Ss55Y/W6T+YCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: yV71bsQfDjCw1xKP3UFiZCp2vbZqGmENFbsJtiCwexZjghhmK52MtVt9zdtwd93khFGBI15v6Ss55Y/W6T+YCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17576,"name":"index.html","sha256":"62ba9aea6db15cdf6b2cd543d31c9139f8590968dbbfba223f7a675d3fec1467"},{"bytes":7366,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"179a482de9ce5a0ac5b4822dc4c525075ca2e9dcb4a79400bd7210f778cc20cb"},{"bytes":7071,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"79592a4eed6260432fb77317d20770fbd85f611b4c38303fbb4193379d069313"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d6a7baf43fff46cf284c436efaf6524639a1bf8023dd217f778950dbfe513e42"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"50994a0da34ce9d97607e539b04aa387c4679e9b6fcc47aeaaf5ff948cb2e193"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e2dd09893835730ab66d774b773950089c78b0512a8ded485b6d7ddd2b2307dd"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102025"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102025
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102025

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
79592a4eed6260432fb77317d20770fbd85f611b4c38303fbb4193379d069313

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102025, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102025" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102025 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102025 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17576, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "62ba9aea6db15cdf6b2cd543d31c9139f8590968dbbfba223f7a675d3fec1467" }, { "bytes": 7366, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "179a482de9ce5a0ac5b4822dc4c525075ca2e9dcb4a79400bd7210f778cc20cb" }, { "bytes": 7071, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "79592a4eed6260432fb77317d20770fbd85f611b4c38303fbb4193379d069313" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102025/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102025", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7eee-b302-d483db10c65d" } 67xftnX/05n5fWr0aOG5UHAZ7GvrCrF4P4j0hG8RViMzVanQii3VzzPUFE0FTBh0Li2HMV6k7gNKSD/MEWJwCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 67xftnX/05n5fWr0aOG5UHAZ7GvrCrF4P4j0hG8RViMzVanQii3VzzPUFE0FTBh0Li2HMV6k7gNKSD/MEWJwCg== {"files":[{"bytes":18374,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7bea739ed1c47392d02390531b251f3236821e43da34570c90695fb4d577dcc4"},{"bytes":8054,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"68a3de3c68a42558000338b1a9573e3e204706ffe5d3d7e8341f5825cd343f16"},{"bytes":7756,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6baf93205a1d2cdf0bdc8e01e24ff5a09221736e1d8eb37e5b7e105d30fd6886"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"65ec49816fde76d67191e222348b9e8fd6c6715a6562908ad6b80db06defff1b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ea282e37d1060b67ee5aa6a6f1e03246da338a328db94383086d2a862d84afaf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"69b4c8ca9d20eb95ee7f724ef8d122819b631f98444a70eb4a81a846b4b3adb8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102026"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102026
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102026

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6baf93205a1d2cdf0bdc8e01e24ff5a09221736e1d8eb37e5b7e105d30fd6886

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102026, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102026" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102026 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102026 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18374, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7bea739ed1c47392d02390531b251f3236821e43da34570c90695fb4d577dcc4" }, { "bytes": 8054, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "68a3de3c68a42558000338b1a9573e3e204706ffe5d3d7e8341f5825cd343f16" }, { "bytes": 7756, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6baf93205a1d2cdf0bdc8e01e24ff5a09221736e1d8eb37e5b7e105d30fd6886" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102026/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102026", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-70fb-a852-2b549140d85c" } 6HYObLOnboYsYX9Zriy5G1CgqNqjsj8hSo3mm/va3igGF38mraZhSonuiY9oZ0ok9TSBD6S5LgK4iDSO+2yXDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6HYObLOnboYsYX9Zriy5G1CgqNqjsj8hSo3mm/va3igGF38mraZhSonuiY9oZ0ok9TSBD6S5LgK4iDSO+2yXDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18125,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8d1cd2362e094a1ae3cfb32274f43c0dd5590741faa119a1435edd61acae3403"},{"bytes":7848,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"706bdd16f2d1a16955d38ac2b79a5aa04202d180be738497e5d6021c74dfae7b"},{"bytes":7550,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"336a5eafc56cb271c2c428e2b1f421fff747ace3425845db14ef602c80165013"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2c262716a925d1a032076990012a389805c4bf670813fcd0fc77cfa6e9c3a35c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d0b5921cea6425d8cdaab88ad41003a980ce8ac5339eefea35e4ea2dbbf76fb5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a7cc8d281e2f30e4b6ed1e7ee8ddd38b27781bb4499f8dd42fe2582af19a448f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102027"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102027
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102027

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
336a5eafc56cb271c2c428e2b1f421fff747ace3425845db14ef602c80165013

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102027, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102027.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102027" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102027" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102027 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102027 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102027 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102027 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102028

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
f236b97f37cf2cfd9e7931d1f4862a9eac48f07d616b423d1b6ee8c3bcfd9960

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102028, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102028.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102028" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102028" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102028 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102028 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102028 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102028 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102029

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
51fc149061bdec88adb3cb15966bf5b415502970c7d2a36f484dc70e8961f851

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102029, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102029.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102029" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102029" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102029 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102029 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102029 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102029 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102030

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d964aa68e5084f84c394e7e9e08a399512c72990d13db11bd1fd66778bbc39ab

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102030, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102030" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102030 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102030 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17887, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f21038b9859a7522dfafb9cef9b30a3368ba4c3e05f1570f091baef3d49952af" }, { "bytes": 7656, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2ef074a32e5c2a241fc879b57ce8839d500bd4b739c42ef3e68d96b90f7cfe98" }, { "bytes": 7355, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d964aa68e5084f84c394e7e9e08a399512c72990d13db11bd1fd66778bbc39ab" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102030/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102030", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-75cb-9fd4-b0faf7fdb3eb" } pLCOlIye90rk8v6LCUwnpcJkzhyUCZnegqNGr1Qv1Jka6Iv9YaklhwNnuwgL6fbrqBiCe836xlpzppij4ObqDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: pLCOlIye90rk8v6LCUwnpcJkzhyUCZnegqNGr1Qv1Jka6Iv9YaklhwNnuwgL6fbrqBiCe836xlpzppij4ObqDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17338,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9e06a48b1eca48d8c1518919bf8e63fae6144829fc153b61ec8396e51ababf69"},{"bytes":7174,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"87ea583e93f7a275a2aa68a06ef91b60e1892466a4d43944c6f279eeb6f0a639"},{"bytes":6876,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"92fbb92a27a3eb341509856d8b3d2355ee23bb8f507a409251c12e1021730fd9"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3331a89407f224f93cb12a91d97ee66e29f3e917eb8fcc0cdf1a379b043f3479"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6ed40e5b21983002b4a917d7324156e93f58dc94a78edde942f0a8cb19ff4363"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b39efcc114f8b4ba2be1b9dfc01a0834950496853db3354d9a4a26787a50e22c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102031"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102031
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102031

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
92fbb92a27a3eb341509856d8b3d2355ee23bb8f507a409251c12e1021730fd9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102031, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102031" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102031 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102031 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17338, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9e06a48b1eca48d8c1518919bf8e63fae6144829fc153b61ec8396e51ababf69" }, { "bytes": 7174, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "87ea583e93f7a275a2aa68a06ef91b60e1892466a4d43944c6f279eeb6f0a639" }, { "bytes": 6876, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "92fbb92a27a3eb341509856d8b3d2355ee23bb8f507a409251c12e1021730fd9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102031/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102031", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f1-7c0b-90b9-3c24745afca4" } 1mzoJHAd/osOW5O0GwRvj1l9b2Gm0w60KiZZKWpZqE6Z1F9mW35UcWdMJW5gwuIj5y0DQQRc5SXkNgvplioEAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 1mzoJHAd/osOW5O0GwRvj1l9b2Gm0w60KiZZKWpZqE6Z1F9mW35UcWdMJW5gwuIj5y0DQQRc5SXkNgvplioEAA== {"files":[{"bytes":18136,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9392a392f108480ede83d69fe3554d2c6e3ec0562616cc31329b18d803a3028b"},{"bytes":7862,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"53d693768be4b21c686cb7306714ac73c60af5ca4c5edc423f0aecfdb3e8c658"},{"bytes":7561,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"be1744f85a4afdd00b243fb70e41a609850148ea6baca4e957fd12f52eba149e"},{"bytes":2770,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0f99fd40c1a84ad97b0ed5e3e0d8f30ff56dc0e383e46aab6a40642333fdd35a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"66633a92a421dc81e87ba7ee97dca54b460c525089f10e966e1fe64159ed5f4b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"19875e12250096390250ed052fa0979396f6d396736d2ec58da0f2adeb8f7f7e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102032"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102032
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102032

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
be1744f85a4afdd00b243fb70e41a609850148ea6baca4e957fd12f52eba149e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102032, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102032" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102032 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102032 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18136, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9392a392f108480ede83d69fe3554d2c6e3ec0562616cc31329b18d803a3028b" }, { "bytes": 7862, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "53d693768be4b21c686cb7306714ac73c60af5ca4c5edc423f0aecfdb3e8c658" }, { "bytes": 7561, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "be1744f85a4afdd00b243fb70e41a609850148ea6baca4e957fd12f52eba149e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102032/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102032", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f40-a6d9-cf15c77b8aeb" } ku21On1vUaL/r4k/mn96mxqvqzt0LwrUqUO+RToplbR9j+dwwxXsK0N/RM+DwvPZATLJo2gJu9Z/5/hh22ofDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ku21On1vUaL/r4k/mn96mxqvqzt0LwrUqUO+RToplbR9j+dwwxXsK0N/RM+DwvPZATLJo2gJu9Z/5/hh22ofDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17887,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6c7c4225948b77ed6d93fd966415fec7b0f5d6c5383d3e93baec29559b3c9694"},{"bytes":7656,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"eea6dd52197b39d60bf07bb0536761c5d46b7074a52d2ac5ea42c33a2753918d"},{"bytes":7355,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8a5d504140c3fa21572743b53af5a376b56eb89100e6b828ebfd9d93a5a7cb5c"},{"bytes":2770,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c373fc007010eb148a7c2d47fcb15d7c2f37cb19cc55e5b4df96d2f3fb1f7f76"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8b644e9936a97fb97bede6bdc4ee2b5fccd3cff917ef7bb1983240c0bf45e949"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"671dc38b09633f0d4ff37abb7f4aee872636a418b19862ebc9fac4ddeaa5174e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102033"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102033
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102033

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8a5d504140c3fa21572743b53af5a376b56eb89100e6b828ebfd9d93a5a7cb5c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102033, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102033" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102033 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102033 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17887, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6c7c4225948b77ed6d93fd966415fec7b0f5d6c5383d3e93baec29559b3c9694" }, { "bytes": 7656, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "eea6dd52197b39d60bf07bb0536761c5d46b7074a52d2ac5ea42c33a2753918d" }, { "bytes": 7355, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8a5d504140c3fa21572743b53af5a376b56eb89100e6b828ebfd9d93a5a7cb5c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102033/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102033", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-71b8-9274-39eae9c7bec0" } Sv5lBe8tBQDwnH/mioxq3tD0MV0Lw7FdpQisT0scwDHy7QXMLsnMAGUB9RnXkxalOYr24wMhTCa9DICjlnO1Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Sv5lBe8tBQDwnH/mioxq3tD0MV0Lw7FdpQisT0scwDHy7QXMLsnMAGUB9RnXkxalOYr24wMhTCa9DICjlnO1Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":17433,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f435162eacaefcf7a3517750aae2bc10c11f3f5421de067bc45b3b51f586cb4f"},{"bytes":7259,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"75b164ee331c8735c597db112e65a12d813e3a50f7ba25be8b2b20bd3cdc2f4e"},{"bytes":6956,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2cd4cca60e6b3fc26ed99be61cd8d01596febf2494d88b06b946f14715515ce0"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cabc9b336586f13e775a32da8f89779799d848fef07eb983b783d12715b1318c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d37ca0f8677c29bcde00776f1848b724d52984994206cfc6930e3732349371f5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2ab3c738c35b29113e77e6dade66daf3f618632d2e8e9686334ffd56da7b2a95"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102034"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102034
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102034

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2cd4cca60e6b3fc26ed99be61cd8d01596febf2494d88b06b946f14715515ce0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102034, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102034.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102034" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102034" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102034 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102034 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102034 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102034 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102035

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
ae76eb123405ed68c631aed8ca879502cf7bcc93bd755d777387c9d4e84541a0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102035, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102035.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102035" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102035" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102035 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102035 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102035 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102035 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102036

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0be948802582abb5482a4e2924edd703c41b8fd45c92c83eb4e0f1dd3503fad4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102036, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102036" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102036 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102036 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17982, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4e55b97e29bb66bb0805b0117305fd619353e9ebd36a2d40316176b48941fcf2" }, { "bytes": 7741, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a3692b6bc40f0ec674dc0ec0c533a12e8354c0925aeaa119b30ebde5e3119c82" }, { "bytes": 7435, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0be948802582abb5482a4e2924edd703c41b8fd45c92c83eb4e0f1dd3503fad4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102036/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102036", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-74b9-b042-914c5c1b4a77" } oE3MO4cIR9LNoWVGlibxZzMR3RnZP49jS42BnxuaJaIi56pp6tdtG3fdKf/gvVD91SQpzkKe7L7l8Pb+fNM0BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: oE3MO4cIR9LNoWVGlibxZzMR3RnZP49jS42BnxuaJaIi56pp6tdtG3fdKf/gvVD91SQpzkKe7L7l8Pb+fNM0BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17434,"name":"index.html","sha256":"409031befcde068580c4e50d425585cdb716ba4def9f8e7fc6bd95930d238db7"},{"bytes":7260,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0a55afbfbcddfbd0cd7ff4fd2fc6e0ab1fa4a1f9faef3acd527edd718dbe0184"},{"bytes":6957,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ed3efa6cb7346bc96ac9c5be14fd14ee01c9ce50e3e8fb65b1b0bc1d16b5b35e"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cda29d948c56f93585115f61b686d398602afb47c3f7d209112773dc50b6d4f5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b3c4da475742bb6a7d9b02e2e5e7fea1cf9294cc330970917211489b564d1551"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"05f21bf3b76c6251c6c1ebe1687dd6acacc67ee76aa72190c8409dbdd463a0b1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102037"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102037
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102037

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ed3efa6cb7346bc96ac9c5be14fd14ee01c9ce50e3e8fb65b1b0bc1d16b5b35e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102037, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102037" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102037 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102037 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17434, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "409031befcde068580c4e50d425585cdb716ba4def9f8e7fc6bd95930d238db7" }, { "bytes": 7260, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0a55afbfbcddfbd0cd7ff4fd2fc6e0ab1fa4a1f9faef3acd527edd718dbe0184" }, { "bytes": 6957, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ed3efa6cb7346bc96ac9c5be14fd14ee01c9ce50e3e8fb65b1b0bc1d16b5b35e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102037/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102037", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-701c-9c0f-65c79a702b5b" } iEP1tqOrRrHSBqtt19hC2n7SAbxrNx0FxvO20WkwNvEkUxDqPBXNY3Nnxi5JmdjExRFzdTRHgO0RRR5wF2luDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: iEP1tqOrRrHSBqtt19hC2n7SAbxrNx0FxvO20WkwNvEkUxDqPBXNY3Nnxi5JmdjExRFzdTRHgO0RRR5wF2luDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18232,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cdaba742ebfd900bf33310e17a24f7c71b3d24c0ccb7ea9bce61d5d877adf2f8"},{"bytes":7948,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1373914d70cafb47946361af6fc2e7bbbec07c1f60c0fad1669345bf7dd881fb"},{"bytes":7642,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"043d177e1786c26c6901f2e90fadd74c9c30e979a086747876be365c59ba1401"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"68eaa868368456ff0edb378a6660a53168665fa035733137eb2ddfc679ce8f7d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d1a1da64c2c39f4f9810e349ecfed5ba16b791b874f1ac8227f3a5fe6a70cc10"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9bfa4435b0692421783c019b2984cb241bde3d900ac75dff13866515c515d756"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102038"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102038
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102038

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
043d177e1786c26c6901f2e90fadd74c9c30e979a086747876be365c59ba1401

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102038, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102038" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102038 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102038 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18232, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cdaba742ebfd900bf33310e17a24f7c71b3d24c0ccb7ea9bce61d5d877adf2f8" }, { "bytes": 7948, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1373914d70cafb47946361af6fc2e7bbbec07c1f60c0fad1669345bf7dd881fb" }, { "bytes": 7642, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "043d177e1786c26c6901f2e90fadd74c9c30e979a086747876be365c59ba1401" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102038/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102038", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-709e-afc3-3048811fad16" } NmK+NmcoYC5OPGHTUwDfzQxiMoCEBkKXvaQmpjev2PggBIgLExaCxrG9aBvZGcgdxkayvjjXEm6POGyrXnNyAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: NmK+NmcoYC5OPGHTUwDfzQxiMoCEBkKXvaQmpjev2PggBIgLExaCxrG9aBvZGcgdxkayvjjXEm6POGyrXnNyAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17983,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cbbc408b7f3af7f8930008112d340e76e0e6fd775a333049088552028207ac29"},{"bytes":7742,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"97dfdffc60f3e25b894784fd543879dd797d94a9ddd19c3af65f2518c1988591"},{"bytes":7436,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cda3a8b84548a0a96bff1a7c7e626bc2f19b3539d3d933b96e2cf18b3ffe09db"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1ebafcc32f542500b16d086d02c5ad87ca5881cd5b65315950a946a00709095a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"79007fdc3b9cdfd6a0f11733f95e00bfe86e3eefc25cb40dd6cf1b80c2dcd5ab"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e46a1f3bf1b3534190d5a535adfaa73e9110e38143bffe8ad2d2c76be513de0f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102039"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102039
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102039

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cda3a8b84548a0a96bff1a7c7e626bc2f19b3539d3d933b96e2cf18b3ffe09db

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102039, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102039" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102039 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102039 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17983, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cbbc408b7f3af7f8930008112d340e76e0e6fd775a333049088552028207ac29" }, { "bytes": 7742, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "97dfdffc60f3e25b894784fd543879dd797d94a9ddd19c3af65f2518c1988591" }, { "bytes": 7436, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cda3a8b84548a0a96bff1a7c7e626bc2f19b3539d3d933b96e2cf18b3ffe09db" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102039/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102039", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7548-b0af-9c8d4904a616" } uWG0mkyekL80U17XUIzMMIcw1fGvs7k3kaBhHx1rEe5TBiauiOw5Eg9s591UJ0XxuDy+gdZnLnEBnzgJvs6/AA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: uWG0mkyekL80U17XUIzMMIcw1fGvs7k3kaBhHx1rEe5TBiauiOw5Eg9s591UJ0XxuDy+gdZnLnEBnzgJvs6/AA== {"files":[{"bytes":17438,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c4fc39bfece2056215686daa8f3413c419bb0f88b0632a02dd2f0a73d86a805c"},{"bytes":7264,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b09b3c1242c53b7b6c7ad352f4d2836189d20f7d45c1e136d937102a3e9148e5"},{"bytes":6961,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cf18a586cb54d2db985c349d5ff004ac64bca75e1ff90042f44a53f1ad55c00b"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2650b96368e604782daad3424d819cf668073d4f1f6ebe78e0b28844cb572861"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4afc487b1a3f5c79ef9c36a33a6d0d1329f727fa281b8110a6e513e855adda72"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9b2a5de82ebfbf255078da272a37418e3b6996cd6b6e9177ad124a5e2ca4e9fe"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102040"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102040
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102040

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
cf18a586cb54d2db985c349d5ff004ac64bca75e1ff90042f44a53f1ad55c00b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102040, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102040" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102040 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102040 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17438, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c4fc39bfece2056215686daa8f3413c419bb0f88b0632a02dd2f0a73d86a805c" }, { "bytes": 7264, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b09b3c1242c53b7b6c7ad352f4d2836189d20f7d45c1e136d937102a3e9148e5" }, { "bytes": 6961, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cf18a586cb54d2db985c349d5ff004ac64bca75e1ff90042f44a53f1ad55c00b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102040/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102040", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7226-aeb1-28a935e19c82" } CPNOc6z7puQ9heJGaoIZYZijiZlw82or4kGY/GJlO4SL19OJYn6YgXiDqh+oXG1lxb3rHQdhPTuBDJsXsFyqAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CPNOc6z7puQ9heJGaoIZYZijiZlw82or4kGY/GJlO4SL19OJYn6YgXiDqh+oXG1lxb3rHQdhPTuBDJsXsFyqAw== {"files":[{"bytes":18236,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8692264446a9bb3cbabe4954de7f0fe67ed70ef92890e03c96fd23186e8e9227"},{"bytes":7952,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4c3a9b496fc19ae20a8465f949d1a7bb580ba1a7baf9f0f7f1f3bc91cdea2368"},{"bytes":7646,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"46942c229995a9b5f1995ce0ab8b23f3dca3f29ae1949709e5496fbe7f6c11fe"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ae16d894b49a0d605e4982a5695487e4b2de434aaf03beb37087c830e78dc0d5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9de29835e97327451964b4adc8b014b259db5918574fe3fdd0d122d511cdc5a1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6c50a2f4f1630ec937fda49237b5f79b9f5ad51e05ee53c62cca8de353f0cbd4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102041"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102041
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102041

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
46942c229995a9b5f1995ce0ab8b23f3dca3f29ae1949709e5496fbe7f6c11fe

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102041, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102041" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102041 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102041 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18236, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8692264446a9bb3cbabe4954de7f0fe67ed70ef92890e03c96fd23186e8e9227" }, { "bytes": 7952, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4c3a9b496fc19ae20a8465f949d1a7bb580ba1a7baf9f0f7f1f3bc91cdea2368" }, { "bytes": 7646, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "46942c229995a9b5f1995ce0ab8b23f3dca3f29ae1949709e5496fbe7f6c11fe" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102041/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102041", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7722-9756-a032ee881029" } dhuKE7zGkFrpIWiMRBrxpZaoINEv8SEdYHLIa5G52XcoGVXcY5iUJ1M6h7rPsIwgzCKqA86y0cxm+Qz9Cs7jDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: dhuKE7zGkFrpIWiMRBrxpZaoINEv8SEdYHLIa5G52XcoGVXcY5iUJ1M6h7rPsIwgzCKqA86y0cxm+Qz9Cs7jDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17987,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f0ad14d426bc31912fd996c833c066b26fda13c1ed08b4a30f82c67c08db8522"},{"bytes":7746,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2576c1a6bd0aedb7bfc89d40647660ac66606aa6bef935ef4fddff8f19ee25f5"},{"bytes":7440,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2ad2f1de601ba437c7afa569e4b328f9765f99527b699b16b97294bd0525b400"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7e6a46534521138bb12dd167c59b90bf7f109795dad201af9e9c6990dbcd07bd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"349ca08b62d2183c9332f887967d1da9da6caa7184de7e4a5b1756bfb225d5fc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7e9ce6a8bb1409578310475b8af62eb97eef384f1e3907b851ddf8d57856b305"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102042"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102042
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102042

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2ad2f1de601ba437c7afa569e4b328f9765f99527b699b16b97294bd0525b400

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102042, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102042" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102042 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102042 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17987, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f0ad14d426bc31912fd996c833c066b26fda13c1ed08b4a30f82c67c08db8522" }, { "bytes": 7746, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2576c1a6bd0aedb7bfc89d40647660ac66606aa6bef935ef4fddff8f19ee25f5" }, { "bytes": 7440, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2ad2f1de601ba437c7afa569e4b328f9765f99527b699b16b97294bd0525b400" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102042/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102042", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7a59-9985-08a0d99ad58a" } VRPOi/KhzcmB5AOWSTcm4lIkyaGHnTTTosVe6ZWDdo+9ds+7d+tqctmJe33EKfqJdu6nx3hv6Pi4m7iIShrsBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VRPOi/KhzcmB5AOWSTcm4lIkyaGHnTTTosVe6ZWDdo+9ds+7d+tqctmJe33EKfqJdu6nx3hv6Pi4m7iIShrsBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17619,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a3d2472faed4b143424e412fefef1bff6adcedbe4c039237de3e99ecd79ce287"},{"bytes":7415,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3d191767e6cc4b22a9b3a7d638e2c27b6df6ce2e83334f094d984825979d7012"},{"bytes":7123,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"32a79f034d4d2365752bd4f8386160c3508bdb924b7c6de489ba97b4100e3068"},{"bytes":2743,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"59f31d75a42d75256e27920642ffc282d5e31ff35969f8516215eba0de1e0667"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"04df67d11879544970b0c0c2181627255eb595031b1313e088c2d4f508a467bb"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1f0ec87d3f704dabc4f7b096d7bf2e573d2f1f91e97f4f9d610eecf8ac49f01d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102043"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102043
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102043

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
32a79f034d4d2365752bd4f8386160c3508bdb924b7c6de489ba97b4100e3068

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102043, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102043" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102043 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102043 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17619, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a3d2472faed4b143424e412fefef1bff6adcedbe4c039237de3e99ecd79ce287" }, { "bytes": 7415, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3d191767e6cc4b22a9b3a7d638e2c27b6df6ce2e83334f094d984825979d7012" }, { "bytes": 7123, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "32a79f034d4d2365752bd4f8386160c3508bdb924b7c6de489ba97b4100e3068" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102043/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102043", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-772f-b023-f120ed3a0424" } DitFz6nhWIuDHMUzAOrpmsjLCWhNJmYS1nZXjAST9rCsLZCFdex4ZQAOHsb3Zxxktr63RJTdW+Vz4K2cWnOZAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: DitFz6nhWIuDHMUzAOrpmsjLCWhNJmYS1nZXjAST9rCsLZCFdex4ZQAOHsb3Zxxktr63RJTdW+Vz4K2cWnOZAA== {"files":[{"bytes":18417,"name":"index.html","sha256":"385c2ad4ee291d2acf081fabf86e1152efb70b3b6a560962d089a5b7916dc63f"},{"bytes":8103,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"323ea95d27dce75ba77e5c9694aeba68c1fcf8e8e72ddf249aaba412f684eab2"},{"bytes":7808,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6e9721cbe2e14a5058b5b043b94b1f6c732025f856b98b3b0715727fb9546a34"},{"bytes":2752,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d42490884f3756d0b024ee114318cd38db7ae6cb24e1d926316a597fcf2afed8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3142ea9a6bc5f7ec51545d6eb398d519606aa818b383363ab59f129605fd73f3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e8a30ceeab706f1d8c143fa10a21c7edc4a570a623fc1249090e8ddf364fb85b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102044"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102044
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102044

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6e9721cbe2e14a5058b5b043b94b1f6c732025f856b98b3b0715727fb9546a34

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102044, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102044" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102044 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102044 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18417, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "385c2ad4ee291d2acf081fabf86e1152efb70b3b6a560962d089a5b7916dc63f" }, { "bytes": 8103, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "323ea95d27dce75ba77e5c9694aeba68c1fcf8e8e72ddf249aaba412f684eab2" }, { "bytes": 7808, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6e9721cbe2e14a5058b5b043b94b1f6c732025f856b98b3b0715727fb9546a34" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102044/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102044", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-71c8-aaa6-3cea22b1021b" } FsCEVvncxj8JreuWBMdHB8ZuPHAGqQG3oLOgxk8DmIW/qjIYja51t5uULrw5uqjUlGT3qDzWTHNjbr+sAiMhBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: FsCEVvncxj8JreuWBMdHB8ZuPHAGqQG3oLOgxk8DmIW/qjIYja51t5uULrw5uqjUlGT3qDzWTHNjbr+sAiMhBw== {"files":[{"bytes":18168,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0d9f6c2fc9fdf10fd57e7a66f7073e6198dba0b89bc9e7982092b96ba7e7acf2"},{"bytes":7897,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"39eab74e234db4fb34f6dea090f87c39fc4b0a4859538e0f3cf589195914c5d8"},{"bytes":7602,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9ccddf69742870e18ec88d451ace5b659b38c93c38d2e0c1e9c21ffbf508d9ad"},{"bytes":2752,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f4b9ba30f58cee28a33ac0bfe550603f06e3e2e8772c60046cd7838b94c72eed"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1d3d2997be6e32715183736d20fe46fae027a1f6f83857eb65bb0a53d45252f6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5e81881be557366c5d9f773adfe37d1dc55fd533cb9bf6f50aff28de75432d06"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102045"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102045
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102045

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9ccddf69742870e18ec88d451ace5b659b38c93c38d2e0c1e9c21ffbf508d9ad

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102045, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102045.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102045" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102045" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102045 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102045 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102045 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102045 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102046

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
30c54afde8ac500c46d83799c90db5a66ca55bee74327c7bdc4b430fc19b62ca

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102046, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102046.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102046" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102046" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102046 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102046 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102046 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102046 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102047

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
943166331c71b73992b6bca4c5c99b6d0da7086be5c29d7711663d65c3c6cad4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102047, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102047" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102047 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102047 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18363, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a1952f11a2ff615917908a4c5030072973a35ad79024df45b3e25ba72e1d11c6" }, { "bytes": 8049, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a54c2dc76f0e649db99400fb015a1ccb20a886399880585147d95e9f0209d624" }, { "bytes": 7754, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "943166331c71b73992b6bca4c5c99b6d0da7086be5c29d7711663d65c3c6cad4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102047/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102047", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7b24-9b95-69e930ef2770" } z9w+kkg00RtQwd+fz4AdNdidAfc6cJgK8quniyz/7rYP7wwlUiNTwQD8CE614ZYwcv3fyGKtL8LMaLZG5Nq5Cg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: z9w+kkg00RtQwd+fz4AdNdidAfc6cJgK8quniyz/7rYP7wwlUiNTwQD8CE614ZYwcv3fyGKtL8LMaLZG5Nq5Cg== {"files":[{"bytes":18114,"name":"index.html","sha256":"67d1657fddee3eb2beb13cdbb4a74aecca3c7501d598673a3795f54eed9fa474"},{"bytes":7843,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7d93605b06e3f5056c4308fe821ffb2b3497a9f5956741501cac58c9e37ce6dc"},{"bytes":7548,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d8c2969921949485b6a905ad6655dff7928289bc0064329912990556d768494a"},{"bytes":2752,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"65922baadca3dd7e98674789ffffe098f26b76403e09cff82dbb087c608ff17c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"69872e69fc86e973411388a1d52ec3f1eefcc0255870acd0a2fcfa88bc66bd61"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0fc4d2931f2b3a2adbfc4cdd90d835370dd1ad7c1ac4842d7da197e6d67d28ff"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102048"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102048
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102048

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d8c2969921949485b6a905ad6655dff7928289bc0064329912990556d768494a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102048, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102048.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102048" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102048" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102048 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102048 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102048 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102048 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102049

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
db2a71a461f2d91c6352d53e27765f117575da91f2b534ea2ed12920a477b96f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102049, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102049.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102049" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102049" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102049 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102049 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102049 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102049 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102050

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f8f07bb0ec10046008c4352d6804489c46104a5216aaaa30f86dc4f3e2422f01

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102050, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102050" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102050 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102050 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18125, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "98f58511b50f2147bcfd6402574fdb5763dcbc357c5dc198c13ab22295c2bdbb" }, { "bytes": 7857, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d2594436c20074c579a90234ab1a7cfb70879bc13e0d1d72173c15298734391b" }, { "bytes": 7559, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f8f07bb0ec10046008c4352d6804489c46104a5216aaaa30f86dc4f3e2422f01" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102050/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102050", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7c42-8c26-d160338811cc" } Ep6LA+I2I8o3BvJ+c56MOcwGXlJzQzWNtPO7UC5HkGbKP27mxHfpBSqGbA3yM72v1YhEObTNxTY7dQtIwz0lAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Ep6LA+I2I8o3BvJ+c56MOcwGXlJzQzWNtPO7UC5HkGbKP27mxHfpBSqGbA3yM72v1YhEObTNxTY7dQtIwz0lAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17876,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a4baad9e6bee235d3245a7c2b9fae482d100a78ccb905cba03a1c6ac911bc979"},{"bytes":7651,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f91e3a70f24a7153dfc9f3825336e719a4814bf8c7d186a8eb98e1b0b7f52709"},{"bytes":7353,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6b507d319f1b2589b78d376b4a2a47d257c0d760b829e93802a947ff760497de"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b38dfceac14a8db96fa76b3c5d2a0c141d5d167cc888e37cd628ac61e130c57f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e2be453508ffac1adce1df115498a5001528a5929c1bb94bb6cb93bff8c74c64"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"86bd8b74741d6470f1eaeb8dc3a74fdfc83f2fbfb60f74d31b05631c8a7ba297"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102051"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102051
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102051

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6b507d319f1b2589b78d376b4a2a47d257c0d760b829e93802a947ff760497de

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102051, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102051" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102051 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102051 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17876, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a4baad9e6bee235d3245a7c2b9fae482d100a78ccb905cba03a1c6ac911bc979" }, { "bytes": 7651, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f91e3a70f24a7153dfc9f3825336e719a4814bf8c7d186a8eb98e1b0b7f52709" }, { "bytes": 7353, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6b507d319f1b2589b78d376b4a2a47d257c0d760b829e93802a947ff760497de" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102051/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102051", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7500-abf1-3b42d9c6ca82" } pgsd8pcn4LWGd+hP12wrCR/spYKYwy6Y+Mz3YAIlXu68m13hErGLj41AZZeO5sQsBx/1+dWXTUGMesu+Yf8RCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: pgsd8pcn4LWGd+hP12wrCR/spYKYwy6Y+Mz3YAIlXu68m13hErGLj41AZZeO5sQsBx/1+dWXTUGMesu+Yf8RCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17327,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fca235e41ae60732148e6205d9106d23dacfe918bea49ea279dee84fef9f863a"},{"bytes":7169,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"bd8a76853b27125494355fe4f6b073c7133726c160d07f79b2bc8a8b48d047b8"},{"bytes":6874,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8ee22650ade9d5cf37c98ce92c3ce28c8a0ab639f8d01d4e13125541438a507f"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0b8ad625def00673d4a49a8a7e183dd139a639f9cdc1b180b071cd67af3ebbb8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"780e37dece1f162c02a19ac0f43be7569ae6cb9bf9d476f9e5f84f073171d439"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"896c3dd7f426d1057ae88091e8bd58c99f6121365dec3909e83862f417f8b404"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102052"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102052
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102052

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8ee22650ade9d5cf37c98ce92c3ce28c8a0ab639f8d01d4e13125541438a507f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102052, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102052" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102052 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102052 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17327, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fca235e41ae60732148e6205d9106d23dacfe918bea49ea279dee84fef9f863a" }, { "bytes": 7169, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bd8a76853b27125494355fe4f6b073c7133726c160d07f79b2bc8a8b48d047b8" }, { "bytes": 6874, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8ee22650ade9d5cf37c98ce92c3ce28c8a0ab639f8d01d4e13125541438a507f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102052/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102052", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79dd-bd32-b8959c05b8c6" } 7xWqamB0EtLhFUq9j3QzKHv/xPSo612tP9haFA2a0+JIGph+3OT9BRVLEx7nVSQoRPPvbGaFuHilVn3QUD2YCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 7xWqamB0EtLhFUq9j3QzKHv/xPSo612tP9haFA2a0+JIGph+3OT9BRVLEx7nVSQoRPPvbGaFuHilVn3QUD2YCg== {"files":[{"bytes":18125,"name":"index.html","sha256":"783635310eaac065e0738ea87008752c5c4b8be9740ce9a3dba95077eed6d908"},{"bytes":7857,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"25bf3bdb507daf788fbc9fda59bd36734bdb7672d9ba6efc90195dafdc819668"},{"bytes":7559,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"00669036648429e44317ed8439817a61779285749e6c97d75081920164876379"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8ee2afdf0368e6e4749021a490ff0f50b201965a86cc7f10f8e9807c8b2d078b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d8fa05a44c716bd5681b1db30845fb9f4fb735c7af5f95b270dd9ca75808f82a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f506018399fdceb720a987356fc8dfdd6ec1229263178ec48137ef44ae1adec6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102053"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102053
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102053

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
00669036648429e44317ed8439817a61779285749e6c97d75081920164876379

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102053, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102053" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102053 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102053 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18125, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "783635310eaac065e0738ea87008752c5c4b8be9740ce9a3dba95077eed6d908" }, { "bytes": 7857, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "25bf3bdb507daf788fbc9fda59bd36734bdb7672d9ba6efc90195dafdc819668" }, { "bytes": 7559, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "00669036648429e44317ed8439817a61779285749e6c97d75081920164876379" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102053/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102053", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f02-9622-270622706c5d" } nJqehK8w14h6epeGV6YVSudWIVWZtrfP8zlK5X+6F8PjTu3D27u4NehLYcPXQUWyaRJ/ydeCf4gQcFH5/jeFAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: nJqehK8w14h6epeGV6YVSudWIVWZtrfP8zlK5X+6F8PjTu3D27u4NehLYcPXQUWyaRJ/ydeCf4gQcFH5/jeFAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17876,"name":"index.html","sha256":"985517b69a308ca2e6daa48b20bb24d3b0ce7d133c278570820ffac8087b61b7"},{"bytes":7651,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fc0b950f58942160bf905cc87511448d299cff6d6b6b1e908df1ad4d8c934a29"},{"bytes":7353,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d846a50f9db88388cbebc618736390e36d63d8cdc7e2151fef7d0162e974f305"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a60c041463125f32ee936eb54b8bc9a60607a7dbe2cada46e40099ca3363144d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"407ae6fd379efbbe0b9020c5c37ae7b171c31728461bbfcb0c652b911a54f2cc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6f2990c06593a6fdbc399be2675caf9a75db64d6c9850a8a31251cc69f8edc27"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102054"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102054
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102054

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d846a50f9db88388cbebc618736390e36d63d8cdc7e2151fef7d0162e974f305

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102054, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102054" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102054 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102054 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17876, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "985517b69a308ca2e6daa48b20bb24d3b0ce7d133c278570820ffac8087b61b7" }, { "bytes": 7651, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fc0b950f58942160bf905cc87511448d299cff6d6b6b1e908df1ad4d8c934a29" }, { "bytes": 7353, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d846a50f9db88388cbebc618736390e36d63d8cdc7e2151fef7d0162e974f305" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102054/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102054", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7517-adde-9768640119df" } BxstnuYkDWlXJMq0u0F8uiv87m6o8EE94GOwp0MFK01uIhns3y6ZwvdiColfw/ND2DaRKm/lsL/yHFz+MLjMDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: BxstnuYkDWlXJMq0u0F8uiv87m6o8EE94GOwp0MFK01uIhns3y6ZwvdiColfw/ND2DaRKm/lsL/yHFz+MLjMDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17445,"name":"index.html","sha256":"42b32d2a6bef3a94d175c47037aa5ab61b773d1427aebed65ced305503dc5386"},{"bytes":7267,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0cfc34aa38a1d33531d8c917b41d26ba939be52a6ec203339aff5c34c13c4e0a"},{"bytes":6962,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"359ad800939cad49313589de2521cdf3a0e6aaf8d65bda31fdf0f1497b583704"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c15a9f38384a6d81ce9b9d03955935e8c5035bb72babc4768330f3e9e62c69ef"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"86ca348e5f0ebfa6b446bc832c983290f32104e04802f139417d5f50eb26882e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d94fa88aaeebdb9623b331169cb4bec2147718165051041d1e94fb5488facd86"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102055"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102055
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102055

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
359ad800939cad49313589de2521cdf3a0e6aaf8d65bda31fdf0f1497b583704

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102055, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102055.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102055" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102055" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102055 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102055 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102055 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102055 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102056

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7c3c24fce6d27a8a62a8012d25ff8051ad15a65eae7a46bf610294331b09dbb9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102056, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102056.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102056" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102056" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102056 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102056 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102056 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102056 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102057

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
20ceb005060184b76686255c2ff6b4ce97d05e003c805aa4aad16f2588cf8c9e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102057, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102057" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102057 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102057 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17994, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "330062fa90397d60d04e6867178bda46b802c740ad739997140a562aad9b2f60" }, { "bytes": 7749, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bbc9b758bfdf6f7858546ab6f643365455009d87043b98d78f27783ebb3d4ec7" }, { "bytes": 7441, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "20ceb005060184b76686255c2ff6b4ce97d05e003c805aa4aad16f2588cf8c9e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102057/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102057", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7b49-9298-2d0489a70d67" } QrCkgNfc3clom1mD3vUSshDuzAJSwc1CRi5+WL1m9aQ2pPpxgEjga67/2MpFs7rb1v8cB4Nlurdm0GB+esLNAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: QrCkgNfc3clom1mD3vUSshDuzAJSwc1CRi5+WL1m9aQ2pPpxgEjga67/2MpFs7rb1v8cB4Nlurdm0GB+esLNAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17446,"name":"index.html","sha256":"76c246a14ac05499875d994c6d0e3335059694d857fe4df26eb52b7fe12e23eb"},{"bytes":7268,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"db70e821d4d8543232fe32011556d83529295769a449ed880ce735f9269ab9be"},{"bytes":6963,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"719b2960c04b18e8129bc50c67a9527d86f9175095532548a28dc6bb49e64c9a"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"aaaa10118434aabf01aa6e086e43b384dc89d452e13fd26a665175c0bf16367f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4d9cc2855cc8936e8d5db556cc3a83f6b42f086bb4db9caa33ad884249a29279"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"876876e4dc7d04fd8750980637648525750c6ae56f050c97ed8264f2482a0709"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102058"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102058
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102058

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
719b2960c04b18e8129bc50c67a9527d86f9175095532548a28dc6bb49e64c9a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102058, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102058" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102058 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102058 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17446, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "76c246a14ac05499875d994c6d0e3335059694d857fe4df26eb52b7fe12e23eb" }, { "bytes": 7268, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "db70e821d4d8543232fe32011556d83529295769a449ed880ce735f9269ab9be" }, { "bytes": 6963, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "719b2960c04b18e8129bc50c67a9527d86f9175095532548a28dc6bb49e64c9a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102058/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102058", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7151-9ecf-dd52cc0f4b97" } vrAn4/nNgvZM8roNIES5drCx35HFUT7vd/8g/f5Y2ZHspecm2+B0VEFcZmPr5KUG5wi6wpFfem9DKZFX2JRcDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vrAn4/nNgvZM8roNIES5drCx35HFUT7vd/8g/f5Y2ZHspecm2+B0VEFcZmPr5KUG5wi6wpFfem9DKZFX2JRcDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18244,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a826c84ad3588d969de260a137489d8c142215020cbd032fd40535a4ce0e0f48"},{"bytes":7956,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3ad56ff4a65e23bbbbdcd701adfbb2a0151e2fc246790a282db2d04261a9460c"},{"bytes":7648,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"acd11a1ccfa8f9b443a5b97d88ba0a8322351cee3ccf4ee564616e6e9f429849"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6bf3efa08ef70dbe5119d2a2beca5417e66a1ec56fb4c55ffa0b1f9b7d104992"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e941482b92810029f9f756be0f164d0423317bbff5be41019248bc91c8a9db43"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"460d55fe1bf34104bf01e9811ded82098d3bb787c3a7b00ae1d1d3006a2e04a1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102059"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102059
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102059

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
acd11a1ccfa8f9b443a5b97d88ba0a8322351cee3ccf4ee564616e6e9f429849

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102059, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102059" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102059 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102059 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18244, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a826c84ad3588d969de260a137489d8c142215020cbd032fd40535a4ce0e0f48" }, { "bytes": 7956, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3ad56ff4a65e23bbbbdcd701adfbb2a0151e2fc246790a282db2d04261a9460c" }, { "bytes": 7648, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "acd11a1ccfa8f9b443a5b97d88ba0a8322351cee3ccf4ee564616e6e9f429849" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102059/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102059", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7325-acca-3a9cd5c94dc1" } PYZqvrHshMxxspruV+wB2dMe7oqIMSl5dbBPqWLpngtMxCYjIJ6z0z0Sm5u/OgTfWU4/w7eKD7Jm1oVZtGYADg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: PYZqvrHshMxxspruV+wB2dMe7oqIMSl5dbBPqWLpngtMxCYjIJ6z0z0Sm5u/OgTfWU4/w7eKD7Jm1oVZtGYADg== {"files":[{"bytes":17995,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b60f450804a0a811dfabe076a6074224645b55b8e8822582e0f43ec5bee3094e"},{"bytes":7750,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"dce8baae84ab6b13480057544eef32ff46c44a643199c00c009f5f0931239cf5"},{"bytes":7442,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"251b03242b01a9db8452e04a4a8c9d8e579f6538aeaaeb468ac98c8df7b20d4e"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9d7d3488b2dd3bb3825e8e18194c8cc4ac19078cc187a7e9f40412e9f397baa4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"606264ce48f14e955b8ec03b19a903b131ee6fa65afad22be560aa58c149a895"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"911dbb713b88813e44b4c519f9a165dec34d842308b5d54dd56a5291de498460"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102060"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102060
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102060

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
251b03242b01a9db8452e04a4a8c9d8e579f6538aeaaeb468ac98c8df7b20d4e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102060, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102060" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102060 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102060 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17995, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b60f450804a0a811dfabe076a6074224645b55b8e8822582e0f43ec5bee3094e" }, { "bytes": 7750, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "dce8baae84ab6b13480057544eef32ff46c44a643199c00c009f5f0931239cf5" }, { "bytes": 7442, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "251b03242b01a9db8452e04a4a8c9d8e579f6538aeaaeb468ac98c8df7b20d4e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102060/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102060", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7ae9-8c75-4987a4d36157" } wCfQ4Nz3IvyP4zagza8InhdYWK8Lngk4/MI5PSL/fWXNdtAOza9Xjf/fR7Kb5S2tYnDw4+shu/F2EaGgFgVvAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: wCfQ4Nz3IvyP4zagza8InhdYWK8Lngk4/MI5PSL/fWXNdtAOza9Xjf/fR7Kb5S2tYnDw4+shu/F2EaGgFgVvAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17450,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1e579894b612f474e1d7d33f0f19a9a9018ceb9e0b0f6127aeaa3be27c0be3c7"},{"bytes":7272,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"69583bca1c450bf27cc96ef1d583783c38a73f309584ccf14ee2747140e13921"},{"bytes":6967,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"459ba4e341d5d3a13be74a063d14c6a766279968a22465ac1c2427a1eb3057b2"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e8705d0e26334b1e8405fee54c48fbfd68a3b539e3616bb917bf636a79f08df5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f2e66a0e01f4fbee4f3795395c973a7b72b08280ae27f82c481dab494d952bcf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"19247a87119d9ec2bc012ba47d788066a8be730f1c1c89b57b5bd7b721b7cfc8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102061"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102061
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102061

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
459ba4e341d5d3a13be74a063d14c6a766279968a22465ac1c2427a1eb3057b2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102061, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102061" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102061 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102061 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1008 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17450, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1e579894b612f474e1d7d33f0f19a9a9018ceb9e0b0f6127aeaa3be27c0be3c7" }, { "bytes": 7272, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "69583bca1c450bf27cc96ef1d583783c38a73f309584ccf14ee2747140e13921" }, { "bytes": 6967, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "459ba4e341d5d3a13be74a063d14c6a766279968a22465ac1c2427a1eb3057b2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102061/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102061", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-73ee-b78a-8bce9b258631" } O/TAnnLCNQwb1UDgD/1lucNupSeZ7AkgX0dxIY2zf6vrBK5a5abLRueMsfpJ95TmZBeqPfyc77oM0+krXnXFAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: O/TAnnLCNQwb1UDgD/1lucNupSeZ7AkgX0dxIY2zf6vrBK5a5abLRueMsfpJ95TmZBeqPfyc77oM0+krXnXFAA== {"files":[{"bytes":18248,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2595ab022482345e89cc8fd756542c412ad2e8dd36aef2e240956ba161c2acf1"},{"bytes":7960,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1684b0f9af384b661e07916fc7076cc1e8eab227bec7e807f8967fa8e1700a27"},{"bytes":7652,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7b6ed5432804f97a4924b02c4631a8fd0cb6f344946f21b69241b64c8fbb4495"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f40da7009dd20603b0209582e799062a42d600e2437f814ebedb9ff47dc394fc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1113c5c8d9b7d57e8dad6d2ef142ad91fde48124ecbf37d0e4e523f17213ebd6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"47bd69db6a1df30cab2bd744f45eb82feb3261f45048bf614211e9a2d31eb21d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102062"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102062
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102062

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7b6ed5432804f97a4924b02c4631a8fd0cb6f344946f21b69241b64c8fbb4495

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102062, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102062" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102062 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102062 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1113 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18248, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2595ab022482345e89cc8fd756542c412ad2e8dd36aef2e240956ba161c2acf1" }, { "bytes": 7960, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1684b0f9af384b661e07916fc7076cc1e8eab227bec7e807f8967fa8e1700a27" }, { "bytes": 7652, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7b6ed5432804f97a4924b02c4631a8fd0cb6f344946f21b69241b64c8fbb4495" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102062/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102062", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7acf-9966-a13b075f893c" } FJttR3Gbbvz9KrFV3wKjSjfnXTobffXUWRCX5aqLsKwD7XaOEimtNB4X1s3vvlF4r5VlC4ofgK7xe2MK4NmmBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: FJttR3Gbbvz9KrFV3wKjSjfnXTobffXUWRCX5aqLsKwD7XaOEimtNB4X1s3vvlF4r5VlC4ofgK7xe2MK4NmmBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17999,"name":"index.html","sha256":"341d41d77af14a66c064f6a4c4b0faf3cff9711a5659f8caad8e8612400b336c"},{"bytes":7754,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1f0e10070249f02f523424340e6599ec1de6c00859cc79953f9cb9546e4a2b8e"},{"bytes":7446,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"732be90c01f6cca9bd9f0e5af11e8b2f26a2396fc0bc202ef66e8043b4296fb6"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ef484987ea559ec5f2c9be5d611d16ceb55cb38e714300da7bdb0920f822ec83"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8098dfaedf081bfe0e1d4511e8f3cff6f80608910f23b8da07299f293d82a89e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9037dd1d52a49289c186058b5c73cb47b330cc1422a08750f58e84a8b1776a4f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102063"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102063
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102063

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
732be90c01f6cca9bd9f0e5af11e8b2f26a2396fc0bc202ef66e8043b4296fb6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102063, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102063" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102063 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102063 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1079 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17999, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "341d41d77af14a66c064f6a4c4b0faf3cff9711a5659f8caad8e8612400b336c" }, { "bytes": 7754, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1f0e10070249f02f523424340e6599ec1de6c00859cc79953f9cb9546e4a2b8e" }, { "bytes": 7446, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "732be90c01f6cca9bd9f0e5af11e8b2f26a2396fc0bc202ef66e8043b4296fb6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102063/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102063", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7695-92af-4c4664042cfe" } 9XLYH1w2mv/dDKFtc4XyWEp3dKCP+uZrVeV4epGWhJdYpBhFojsf3jXX7/UbcOny/YWtAcox4oopD+vYN6NGBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 9XLYH1w2mv/dDKFtc4XyWEp3dKCP+uZrVeV4epGWhJdYpBhFojsf3jXX7/UbcOny/YWtAcox4oopD+vYN6NGBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17631,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8274ac367189b984a0dd47bc95d87f38df06e1411c529fb30c413ece19f9cfcd"},{"bytes":7423,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"83320412b0ea5e121264a7d7f23ec1c9f0ca839056faad010014b48ddd50ae10"},{"bytes":7129,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7cc8cb1de6834527a2c746886dd8989b2c028bea71749e30d2a0139fc0e85e88"},{"bytes":2745,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6f04378d7e3a04e33be756e027eae264b1f7db3771b46ec6bbade99f8d3ed338"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"80aaca59b2625d38c07d0ca0c4a840d7aafc2a071e53ae977ea9d2b138df6a74"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"628059b7b471b7a3e3d2e84daa4e9bb2e338660150c10d1623b7a303c605bbcf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102064"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102064
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102064

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
7cc8cb1de6834527a2c746886dd8989b2c028bea71749e30d2a0139fc0e85e88

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102064, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102064" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102064 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102064 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17631, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8274ac367189b984a0dd47bc95d87f38df06e1411c529fb30c413ece19f9cfcd" }, { "bytes": 7423, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "83320412b0ea5e121264a7d7f23ec1c9f0ca839056faad010014b48ddd50ae10" }, { "bytes": 7129, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7cc8cb1de6834527a2c746886dd8989b2c028bea71749e30d2a0139fc0e85e88" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102064/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102064", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7539-91de-baf649f52741" } 7GO7ANrz6brXhwhtfmZPrj+TVoMUxoSvrHQ6e/Hi8/czCk+1bW+S/ghCaZ082fEUlxoMcJQ4ScMwiFb0LNF9Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 7GO7ANrz6brXhwhtfmZPrj+TVoMUxoSvrHQ6e/Hi8/czCk+1bW+S/ghCaZ082fEUlxoMcJQ4ScMwiFb0LNF9Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":18429,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3beeb679ae77a94c839639c01f50b8210869803547dd1e713506570dae4266d5"},{"bytes":8111,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b137c05f1346715358177077249b15ca3802b04b5e723f6243623182a63bbccc"},{"bytes":7814,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"56d1b80e8e860097c5ad685aecdff4d35438eaa30ae52d73ab1c60fc5ba8e681"},{"bytes":2754,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e3d3760768804953241f6d3d4f4630f20401a045e10972ccf8c342c6a17ce64b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a1a9e56794277d9f873e1b6430984ea012d45a4908df2236b849bddd9f6912d8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"64398e9a80711e9c57d7c8816c740612d72a71632e54f574c51f501978ba5ed6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102065"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102065
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102065

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
56d1b80e8e860097c5ad685aecdff4d35438eaa30ae52d73ab1c60fc5ba8e681

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102065, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102065" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102065 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102065 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1153 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18429, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3beeb679ae77a94c839639c01f50b8210869803547dd1e713506570dae4266d5" }, { "bytes": 8111, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b137c05f1346715358177077249b15ca3802b04b5e723f6243623182a63bbccc" }, { "bytes": 7814, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "56d1b80e8e860097c5ad685aecdff4d35438eaa30ae52d73ab1c60fc5ba8e681" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102065/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102065", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79a7-8fa1-386ec75a2644" } 8YpOoWpJFJYTlOk0/tmeDvsnnCSblWGDc+5f5PeAF9l6u87dB/AwSWorrE8TZWVtesTTa3MSNH0uKt5jNrCwAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 8YpOoWpJFJYTlOk0/tmeDvsnnCSblWGDc+5f5PeAF9l6u87dB/AwSWorrE8TZWVtesTTa3MSNH0uKt5jNrCwAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18180,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cca1531be1848b50d3766b5bdb4844a8e70d9779419ad62304225974f48bc9d4"},{"bytes":7905,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7e62e6141f75c24647ae3a1111ba125069a397ea9bbe92205d1f049309290c06"},{"bytes":7608,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"337a6db20206096cc273acf22aca3a63460c83fb56172853b1ab10eaeb6160f4"},{"bytes":2754,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d150ed1ca09d6267bd1f3d5940412fe048c9a224d0de3c2fcb89d8700e2a0526"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7362dc0ad3fef93cbca2d0b558ac90e93158b80aaa240bdf99b432b83d1d95ec"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"07e9bd8797747aed7e9b3866aeb019f3b8d467d24aab28b97fe7347ccc3c931e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102066"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102066
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102066

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
337a6db20206096cc273acf22aca3a63460c83fb56172853b1ab10eaeb6160f4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102066, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102066" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102066 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102066 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1119 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18180, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cca1531be1848b50d3766b5bdb4844a8e70d9779419ad62304225974f48bc9d4" }, { "bytes": 7905, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7e62e6141f75c24647ae3a1111ba125069a397ea9bbe92205d1f049309290c06" }, { "bytes": 7608, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "337a6db20206096cc273acf22aca3a63460c83fb56172853b1ab10eaeb6160f4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102066/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102066", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7412-95e8-b10977b0c3d2" } odd/UIEbvvPf73X2OR16+n3k1G/Cx8snGFn/yX5qET8uE9rRmboonqoctTE2GeZvRq/MQg5YxITzeSHNs95bAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: odd/UIEbvvPf73X2OR16+n3k1G/Cx8snGFn/yX5qET8uE9rRmboonqoctTE2GeZvRq/MQg5YxITzeSHNs95bAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17577,"name":"index.html","sha256":"19ee0294a5d4a3def27195e058d962a3c9e3df7d1aaae40c97b18875b16ddcdb"},{"bytes":7369,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d723d87fb4b00836a4db962e7dea3f071d98a4a302d7d79153b382a7cc355a6b"},{"bytes":7075,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bba3efa2f897a240ff3f977ec16d4b0f29c791e18033dbb7217c9bc562f270c6"},{"bytes":2745,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bde4722869cd6ef2f9b543c6dcef95b93435032ff0b178a8beebd1be96ca6e15"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e22abca2e62b6ddab936deb418f3e3c74b19cdd9ddb15d8a725fa286e2b14595"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6b640b811b11913ab84ed202ca40547f584e480e5427461e1d8a317d95d6703c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102067"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102067
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102067

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
bba3efa2f897a240ff3f977ec16d4b0f29c791e18033dbb7217c9bc562f270c6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102067, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102067.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102067" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102067" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102067 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102067 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102067 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102067 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102068

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5404940db42aaaeefefa5cd8e9d816c7d9b9c40ac290bdc2cd09db22a10d27ac

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102068, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102068" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102068 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102068 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18375, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "12da562939e1de1088a3333722e4025231a0d4f99ec3fc07bc01c4c588fd0b55" }, { "bytes": 8057, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "11f3dc30795aeea52fe7ee56d09d8b48d1f3a395a0544ee417f23b52098880c2" }, { "bytes": 7760, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5404940db42aaaeefefa5cd8e9d816c7d9b9c40ac290bdc2cd09db22a10d27ac" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102068/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102068", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-77f2-8ed1-cdb4d0f44eca" } CmnruTFey0vDtACDV7zTXrV3qv+mIvpJt+SigYTk0+NwY30oVCOIyPX5sVs2G93UPXvsoYGD3/mCD4XONW3NBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CmnruTFey0vDtACDV7zTXrV3qv+mIvpJt+SigYTk0+NwY30oVCOIyPX5sVs2G93UPXvsoYGD3/mCD4XONW3NBA== {"files":[{"bytes":18126,"name":"index.html","sha256":"28d3813f85e0976367a2c6c18cd9e63cda78c1a4d86e0367e2cfc6095267cc3c"},{"bytes":7851,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d9371a169d4af7b778a57799890dba21213b8a8948c4e4b5e565dce1bdf565cb"},{"bytes":7554,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"170068b096fb1f7a60f2afdd71b4c0852a39afad18923fd64c13e852e9ba4c43"},{"bytes":2754,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4bde14c5d9e7b032868a48d90a778177b125cb898b1279b6232128ba312451f8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ba3d67988f5e00862a1cfa1589c0d4634275398aca53ea5371a0a3e8abf8d0b7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0a3bfff09a781cc724be2dd5a3f2d53100b2b5fccb1eabdf01d983c81a09278e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102069"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102069
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102069

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
170068b096fb1f7a60f2afdd71b4c0852a39afad18923fd64c13e852e9ba4c43

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102069, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102069.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102069" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102069" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102069 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102069 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102069 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102069 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102070

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5e78d2870dccba269eacf07f102b25e1998bf87aa5a104c44de24057aa3b83bb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102070, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102070" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102070 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102070 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17339, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "79c54e3df64d9af18bb15b2a4daf7e461c941894034a6f155bd99283590095ee" }, { "bytes": 7177, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e2e2ef109533a3d251bea64fb9a04580777a1e68e13bba21b7b7492776c5b40b" }, { "bytes": 6880, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5e78d2870dccba269eacf07f102b25e1998bf87aa5a104c44de24057aa3b83bb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102070/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102070", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-71d2-b205-db331432d2a8" } wGUa8tk1dB/muMLhcK8G5puVT+qUR3XTBzr164yhScs6lqIPfmNEdZ8T4sDxHlv9lzT1UQlPeiIwo/oT3C6/Bw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: wGUa8tk1dB/muMLhcK8G5puVT+qUR3XTBzr164yhScs6lqIPfmNEdZ8T4sDxHlv9lzT1UQlPeiIwo/oT3C6/Bw== {"files":[{"bytes":18137,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6d5a2283edbe686d42490e671d3134fda620349a84646fb173bb71c09a66fd38"},{"bytes":7865,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"98cc69585d136d98febd08c8e8adc0aa92be0d82626c0a4d7d6fa14e5ccb3d8c"},{"bytes":7565,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cde5f1b2c88e070312451efd441e2dd065688319ad5ffcf0b474e581ae5eee98"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f50bddff47c8db80dcdb01b5216327d3580640272aaded043c530ad725bf63f7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"65db4d2b8b710c684d33daa5008d8074d2b8df873d1c8f3d24b4b53475ab5096"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3a2269e124aae1138cadc362835cd31974c383e33da349e3420988c9d6bcb64a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102071"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102071
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102071

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cde5f1b2c88e070312451efd441e2dd065688319ad5ffcf0b474e581ae5eee98

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102071, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102071" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102071 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102071 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18137, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6d5a2283edbe686d42490e671d3134fda620349a84646fb173bb71c09a66fd38" }, { "bytes": 7865, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "98cc69585d136d98febd08c8e8adc0aa92be0d82626c0a4d7d6fa14e5ccb3d8c" }, { "bytes": 7565, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cde5f1b2c88e070312451efd441e2dd065688319ad5ffcf0b474e581ae5eee98" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102071/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102071", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7d12-b33f-5675e79e4a9f" } kTwe2FFdGZfwkhruKlCf77cznCmsJ6xSp5cHs636SdTIlfl8ZW5CuPxQ66+U9SZ9jrw+xjYmQkquPzEqwi9NCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: kTwe2FFdGZfwkhruKlCf77cznCmsJ6xSp5cHs636SdTIlfl8ZW5CuPxQ66+U9SZ9jrw+xjYmQkquPzEqwi9NCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17888,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dbe64c57dec54e4acee707aada1df813813dd3853193958e75058e7ecfda92ca"},{"bytes":7659,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ab45863377b1cd8e71c9de271352c8871499d2e5d015fa598660adb97d2ca719"},{"bytes":7359,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a6f79e2a166ac6fa10b6b8ada5e3916e1b790d1473f4ae71b200b40cc1c785c3"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cfd979c6b4afb0ad8b6ff7f88d45adc6c844ee360f70469507d22b44d4ff4a77"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d6e2ad9fb460cdfb021bfc62b4e84efa356227491257d9235cd6e9e841e77fe1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fce679ac567564b1470fcf57b4b331d364783cf4aee4532f742387479874b0a4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102072"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102072
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102072

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
a6f79e2a166ac6fa10b6b8ada5e3916e1b790d1473f4ae71b200b40cc1c785c3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102072, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102072" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102072 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102072 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17888, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "dbe64c57dec54e4acee707aada1df813813dd3853193958e75058e7ecfda92ca" }, { "bytes": 7659, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ab45863377b1cd8e71c9de271352c8871499d2e5d015fa598660adb97d2ca719" }, { "bytes": 7359, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a6f79e2a166ac6fa10b6b8ada5e3916e1b790d1473f4ae71b200b40cc1c785c3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102072/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102072", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7552-af1c-fabd8915df35" } sjoUd4uJ+VY8grQLHmHWK30ZpU/QGcBm69ebpY8Vn3awRAX43DldXBCNjAQcR47PJFucsXDv3rkfLGb9cwbCAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: sjoUd4uJ+VY8grQLHmHWK30ZpU/QGcBm69ebpY8Vn3awRAX43DldXBCNjAQcR47PJFucsXDv3rkfLGb9cwbCAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17339,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d34443a45465224f9c172c9e6a719f291f604dc8e8b9a6c2af5ce789e47bb01f"},{"bytes":7177,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7b965c02405f547705ce60b01938ff0613ffdee448e27d098ba05e9e95bc6842"},{"bytes":6880,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3a22788c25504c3f763baa1a55b461527ca8095f19d7d6ec19f339942272c25a"},{"bytes":2759,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a62c256f0acfb79e434071e9555a6343b694cff129a996b7061dec9c1c35ac6a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"684bf483fafb9b66dd5e9e0dd1b05fda6b6cd8a3d6305a8ca838e22193141045"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"acedf60d6024b9862431597b2c1c5132323bb250e70d0647a1a30fc20d799a0a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102073"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102073
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102073

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3a22788c25504c3f763baa1a55b461527ca8095f19d7d6ec19f339942272c25a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102073, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102073" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102073 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102073 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17339, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d34443a45465224f9c172c9e6a719f291f604dc8e8b9a6c2af5ce789e47bb01f" }, { "bytes": 7177, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7b965c02405f547705ce60b01938ff0613ffdee448e27d098ba05e9e95bc6842" }, { "bytes": 6880, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3a22788c25504c3f763baa1a55b461527ca8095f19d7d6ec19f339942272c25a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102073/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102073", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7a8d-8f24-a98fbecfe6b7" } tFU7fVkpmUuAjKDpXu+OtgCZoe0W37umJv/3UV8vXJYJhanyG+y3QyDj+dJit3nuftlfKUH6tz/WgssvS4iRDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tFU7fVkpmUuAjKDpXu+OtgCZoe0W37umJv/3UV8vXJYJhanyG+y3QyDj+dJit3nuftlfKUH6tz/WgssvS4iRDw== {"files":[{"bytes":18137,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7e002190c9a9aefe14f52811ecf4036c2f75889e7e026ae6fa2e986ccf7c936f"},{"bytes":7865,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b82bcbc54d8905c64269684cfc76e1385dbc1e46ab47484f9af0f4d8a53b5e51"},{"bytes":7565,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c414e6019194bc80c0e0d89bed65169ac05b5a03d49dd26b89e9c3cd281f53ae"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7dc08540a92070e2f75d72d2ec1d0ecec90487d5e7c4ca6c1bcfeecaab73bfcf"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f7279f5a7a3d6f7c460240fca691c4213176d4edf1905445d7ff4db064c03939"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"62478d39c1110a6242c27e33a039557042d743470ecc5e96d71dea79b4c60349"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102074"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102074
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102074

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c414e6019194bc80c0e0d89bed65169ac05b5a03d49dd26b89e9c3cd281f53ae

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102074, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102074" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102074 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102074 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1101 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18137, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7e002190c9a9aefe14f52811ecf4036c2f75889e7e026ae6fa2e986ccf7c936f" }, { "bytes": 7865, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b82bcbc54d8905c64269684cfc76e1385dbc1e46ab47484f9af0f4d8a53b5e51" }, { "bytes": 7565, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c414e6019194bc80c0e0d89bed65169ac05b5a03d49dd26b89e9c3cd281f53ae" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102074/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102074", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-77e9-90b5-d28e11d1df1d" } UW5icvVWqSg2qce3HSVW4sWyLs1B+LsJrKWwd5k483U40fFIOzmJeK1zutljZ4WInDacdvYH/vk+gboFf33aBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: UW5icvVWqSg2qce3HSVW4sWyLs1B+LsJrKWwd5k483U40fFIOzmJeK1zutljZ4WInDacdvYH/vk+gboFf33aBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17888,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e8dd432afdc4197ddd462fa21df8ef82b4766ba65172a833ee58abc511e8701f"},{"bytes":7659,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4a6687d15aefe0ec10d797a447d04861e71e3a6f232a2596397f117fe5cd7764"},{"bytes":7359,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"99a2c55c2802b024112a9010822b9714b925b46358251c4c20840fdc476fd15b"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a1ac74f8459f5d2a20eb6f3678f86b15ddde2beef0a21deb9476b1eef0215066"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b4ecd3b177cee401c56bbc478d98b6ea98730abe7871aa3d7cbd66dacb76868a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4d7c95420142195ec7bef6d1e0ed547bfc9d276dedf9049ed048129459f0c83d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102075"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102075
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102075

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
99a2c55c2802b024112a9010822b9714b925b46358251c4c20840fdc476fd15b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102075, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102075" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "release control" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102075 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the ejector outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the ejector outlet, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the ejector. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102075 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1067 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17888, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e8dd432afdc4197ddd462fa21df8ef82b4766ba65172a833ee58abc511e8701f" }, { "bytes": 7659, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4a6687d15aefe0ec10d797a447d04861e71e3a6f232a2596397f117fe5cd7764" }, { "bytes": 7359, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "99a2c55c2802b024112a9010822b9714b925b46358251c4c20840fdc476fd15b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102075/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "release control" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102075", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7735-88dd-f3418796932c" } PCCTj4Muo0m6foXHkTkVYq5M7ZZ7V6qAQ1KKbSyX1ych0Gs3vA5vxksC/EcWeYs6/jMjhsSnG5cqrF/1HW2EBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: PCCTj4Muo0m6foXHkTkVYq5M7ZZ7V6qAQ1KKbSyX1ych0Gs3vA5vxksC/EcWeYs6/jMjhsSnG5cqrF/1HW2EBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17352,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2927a62c00da6104b37020cc4b26b606dfe9a8c7361531679fabff618900d141"},{"bytes":7247,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7904cf22546706977739fd1cbe0b34c1aced714bb0473a32c46be52835c99de2"},{"bytes":6918,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5ee964a655192f17159dea471c6f837b7d3e417931e1efe0ab06ea6df62afb43"},{"bytes":2823,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cbaa1981f3fcc359735ff3ed5e7b60df33f7ae46a76381a404241049383a33ad"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8d97850d8d4d571b3843bca36f340e4f80a4f638641439c8f0cdffe04ae4b789"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c9f792fa1c18a4b966afd2d33fe2559eb86bb01c886d351e4fb1c66902fc325e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102076"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102076
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102076

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5ee964a655192f17159dea471c6f837b7d3e417931e1efe0ab06ea6df62afb43

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102076, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102076.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102076" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102076" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102076 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102076 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102076 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102076 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102077

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
dfdd5bc7793a1ad186ca78af361433e7d603fecb5b4aa356f7436d334437d8ec

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102077, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102077.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102077" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102077" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102077 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102077 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102077 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102077 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102078

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
c8a7e21a2ae2a29a9b4336229fbe5d61e1304a0af9688643bb5d721c2cdf49d7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102078, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102078.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102078" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102078" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102078 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102078 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102078 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102078 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102079

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6430f92afaf5bffceebe663859cf5b5fb32f2f0e8de0fbcde43cd1f5bf87ebcf

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102079, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102079" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102079 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102079 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 993 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17353, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7932908b283e881d347eb57d5ba09eac479ac555229ffd43947d7a5291bccc9b" }, { "bytes": 7248, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "207e292a914037dd01a5a2b87173cf15aaad1586c608d055c3929fcbabdc8a3e" }, { "bytes": 6919, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6430f92afaf5bffceebe663859cf5b5fb32f2f0e8de0fbcde43cd1f5bf87ebcf" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102079/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102079", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7fa4-9844-303f3c001304" } 8PWjbWSK+IwWsnd6+BFdqkhpoH0PES04/6SJSd8hyPERUFv6Pwduggd2QI2ZmZVmslb9AczVoHk6Zfl7GnOfDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 8PWjbWSK+IwWsnd6+BFdqkhpoH0PES04/6SJSd8hyPERUFv6Pwduggd2QI2ZmZVmslb9AczVoHk6Zfl7GnOfDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18145,"name":"index.html","sha256":"18f5bddfe4569ebf8d9e6b82d6020b7c0ed97e0057b40732ec08359b11572a79"},{"bytes":7930,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ff58be2ef51a11716ea912b29434551e3049d4a397d899cf61a14bdd43718a3c"},{"bytes":7598,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ac115347faecb3163e58ce1a4ba19bea60c013eccfa39dd5d0fc141b14c61031"},{"bytes":2833,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8751f67f0b1f7f2ed4caa53373480dd90f2e5d401fe7bcda496fad3975761933"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3b3ed43426df560eacbcabe0e076a5cb2751891dc10ac30d9184bfe3a02b6746"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9d279303999e6eabf0e581dd013474233e6a2ac403eecd95f0043e181a81e362"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102080"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102080
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102080

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
ac115347faecb3163e58ce1a4ba19bea60c013eccfa39dd5d0fc141b14c61031

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102080, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102080" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102080 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102080 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1098 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18145, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "18f5bddfe4569ebf8d9e6b82d6020b7c0ed97e0057b40732ec08359b11572a79" }, { "bytes": 7930, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ff58be2ef51a11716ea912b29434551e3049d4a397d899cf61a14bdd43718a3c" }, { "bytes": 7598, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ac115347faecb3163e58ce1a4ba19bea60c013eccfa39dd5d0fc141b14c61031" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102080/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102080", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-74f0-94ba-81d9e7f5639e" } fBdGfgngWPnMALCDkdv5Th6BhqREvae4CcWQuHa5kZi6LYelhOzlJpWH5oT6nGU2NecVFYC1OCen9Td7Qh6LCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fBdGfgngWPnMALCDkdv5Th6BhqREvae4CcWQuHa5kZi6LYelhOzlJpWH5oT6nGU2NecVFYC1OCen9Td7Qh6LCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17896,"name":"index.html","sha256":"be2fa45ba48d24f20bda817258d3caf77b60e2d3557c38ac20e426c378ff4c24"},{"bytes":7724,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f1cd095d4ce16ec441ef7332f1e25d0f781371f08a2cc0c433cb255af64c5633"},{"bytes":7392,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b813cfb0fb98ebad103add8afa206bc111bc7f173e2f1ef49aeb7df1b66f17c8"},{"bytes":2833,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bd2be3f9f2862f82b08b649997b3c822a128ab62f6c883e8e2ef04d24b09098b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"087ac7c35cace1afd22c54a8300ed2c0c385556461585ab3aac7aa2182ffdbda"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4cade34b9fde30350d0214e010482586d7a94c5d23ba5f2eabd32a0ddd4aae67"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102081"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102081
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102081

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
b813cfb0fb98ebad103add8afa206bc111bc7f173e2f1ef49aeb7df1b66f17c8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102081, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102081" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102081 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102081 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1064 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17896, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "be2fa45ba48d24f20bda817258d3caf77b60e2d3557c38ac20e426c378ff4c24" }, { "bytes": 7724, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f1cd095d4ce16ec441ef7332f1e25d0f781371f08a2cc0c433cb255af64c5633" }, { "bytes": 7392, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b813cfb0fb98ebad103add8afa206bc111bc7f173e2f1ef49aeb7df1b66f17c8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102081/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102081", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7243-9f55-c61f3ebdb4c9" } CWsXq6sXsKrEzEmKoBla7mgL7UoNNuS9gOAc3cVatSDg6vPUjzv7vXEsn8iSsv0vgJLWF4vrT5vFEDIxMsPPCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CWsXq6sXsKrEzEmKoBla7mgL7UoNNuS9gOAc3cVatSDg6vPUjzv7vXEsn8iSsv0vgJLWF4vrT5vFEDIxMsPPCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17357,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1b01dbc57f09270a8d9e4a2bd18be248f7317cb47feef088603341ca13a3d49b"},{"bytes":7252,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9ca20973fe83b8e9a9fb11561f4bfdf5acd1f2ca93f084cf2812a3a41c2ba2b0"},{"bytes":6923,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"15d716e8f65b5cb37924ad0f3e82ddc278d99b78e0217cc78c70c0a560209e05"},{"bytes":2823,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b11025f2f1ec123f94b18ba230b1117cda9cbfa108f78406fcbef499553d843a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"dc38429e3c994052cd55c8f2e391b619aa66c4669e0f1e8afd36bf80208a364e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ad9b4a0edea0991e32a132365b49262ddfdea8be71709ef0be54453b2bc45a0f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102082"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102082
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102082

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
15d716e8f65b5cb37924ad0f3e82ddc278d99b78e0217cc78c70c0a560209e05

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102082, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102082.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102082" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102082" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102082 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102082 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102082 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102082 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102083

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
3870b9acfa1f14f489001085ba00c68f2e1ce44e5d8aa1cc44e76d4d096d7c63

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102083, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102083.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102083" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102083" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102083 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102083 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102083 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102083 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102084

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
4f19fbc4d2df9c84679bc369eaa2da87c2a9286535b0de737cb6ecd9e4f78426

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102084, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102084.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102084" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102084" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102084 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102084 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102084 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102084 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102085

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5f4087508556a32cecec4e3db8a72bad2b1451e6ccf59cc34f2cbb850c66542e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102085, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102085" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102085 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102085 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1033 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17538, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "59d022b6a3d488569a858e45a0375e82ee0699100651a1ccf136cb0cb4b452c7" }, { "bytes": 7403, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b120d6724b834021b5bdb825553ef7208015a2e0da4e405986e2fa04859a205e" }, { "bytes": 7085, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5f4087508556a32cecec4e3db8a72bad2b1451e6ccf59cc34f2cbb850c66542e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102085/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102085", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f4a-8642-deb38d267a1a" } A7XWVEEvRMbOV0G+Cyo5zMdWJMCqWI1pUNYSfTNrrxNbHd5yg4sKLkr2/Sb/IUw/ifmBHxMdM7FHLIdmxxg9BQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: A7XWVEEvRMbOV0G+Cyo5zMdWJMCqWI1pUNYSfTNrrxNbHd5yg4sKLkr2/Sb/IUw/ifmBHxMdM7FHLIdmxxg9BQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18330,"name":"index.html","sha256":"32f6f5750e8f1e0eb78b33446b6f0f844701f4e27f74d744862e3d93eab47cf5"},{"bytes":8085,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a7227e7af0345687dcb088b1d89260a9fef325f2e884959eaebc4bbecc176c33"},{"bytes":7764,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ddad0f99899da41a58916fe814c86617ddeb1741b00f9c7410130ca10e2f8cc1"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f6cc600cb01b8de9972c892e7c3c9393d062b936a968afc8c0bbd4b59a6c13ff"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a64aa745df36a1977f7444940ac2c18f30e799d722afb54597f5c7c7939ea056"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"882af620074e231a0f5e63b7e47b16b744c2263a5bac855f6b0697f55a4cb4bd"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102086"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102086
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102086

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
ddad0f99899da41a58916fe814c86617ddeb1741b00f9c7410130ca10e2f8cc1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102086, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102086" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102086 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102086 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1138 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18330, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "32f6f5750e8f1e0eb78b33446b6f0f844701f4e27f74d744862e3d93eab47cf5" }, { "bytes": 8085, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a7227e7af0345687dcb088b1d89260a9fef325f2e884959eaebc4bbecc176c33" }, { "bytes": 7764, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ddad0f99899da41a58916fe814c86617ddeb1741b00f9c7410130ca10e2f8cc1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102086/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102086", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-70b0-a78f-7954aae02b1a" } pqInJM1y131wcs8nmn6SAsNYYFC+pCDEFDxT+VzxNOnE0QzddD3KSczawrBT2X7w2a7Z0C6Y5UzjLN6XOPtUDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: pqInJM1y131wcs8nmn6SAsNYYFC+pCDEFDxT+VzxNOnE0QzddD3KSczawrBT2X7w2a7Z0C6Y5UzjLN6XOPtUDg== {"files":[{"bytes":18081,"name":"index.html","sha256":"27787bc48b706d73054a99ba7a1234d7028fc59773059462c5be6e7c9914c5f3"},{"bytes":7879,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7af0d11a493e6edf4fdfbf2419184a870ecf9bcbb97c673f7a54b3b11232b1db"},{"bytes":7558,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4b7bdc58f8d978cc8f63330fcb8d9412e4e7d37afe211449fcbd82f26c6df74c"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b3fcc7c801946fb26e109841c23f333818698c0a33808eebb4aa6fea3cabfd43"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6f9a88ed4a6a103f8aa40ac6de49a65e9ddfd14107a6fa455e899af576b3a639"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4d4c3ba029026c9be35e277158951fbf78821b1eff30c9b9a200d85d375ac0c4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102087"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102087
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102087

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
4b7bdc58f8d978cc8f63330fcb8d9412e4e7d37afe211449fcbd82f26c6df74c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102087, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102087" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102087 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102087 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1104 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18081, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "27787bc48b706d73054a99ba7a1234d7028fc59773059462c5be6e7c9914c5f3" }, { "bytes": 7879, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7af0d11a493e6edf4fdfbf2419184a870ecf9bcbb97c673f7a54b3b11232b1db" }, { "bytes": 7558, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4b7bdc58f8d978cc8f63330fcb8d9412e4e7d37afe211449fcbd82f26c6df74c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102087/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102087", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7e5d-b815-4e7071f29a16" } +nGS9RPUmz5BWyUKCHfWOtp1+tpuOodoNNDJH5uso/I0jAkqFpprmFcIl6MVYfA4/sAy3PuBjVieM8VbPXj9Dg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +nGS9RPUmz5BWyUKCHfWOtp1+tpuOodoNNDJH5uso/I0jAkqFpprmFcIl6MVYfA4/sAy3PuBjVieM8VbPXj9Dg== {"files":[{"bytes":17484,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6e699a529f4bd81ce73836c68b9609d1e0e629d1e075d83bf991761fbcae5030"},{"bytes":7349,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1fed5c2ca4929a30d6780a2db3e03b1c6047974c522d425efa6e3200770ec2d5"},{"bytes":7031,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ef9cac8efa5ebda3c1b98e687221a1332dfadb85a500c525babe93a58b8a22ea"},{"bytes":2801,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"02302362803f2b3e2f8a3830ea55cd89fff50ee506662c51364d44e116d2046b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e25dd0167a9cca130592b96e6529e7cb08b39a1750083ec9533a442dd6211c7f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3032a810a14de323357eadf4d0a378eb95ce0dabd35788a87f7c160d2190e7ca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102088"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102088
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102088

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ef9cac8efa5ebda3c1b98e687221a1332dfadb85a500c525babe93a58b8a22ea

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102088, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102088" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102088 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102088 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1018 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17484, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6e699a529f4bd81ce73836c68b9609d1e0e629d1e075d83bf991761fbcae5030" }, { "bytes": 7349, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1fed5c2ca4929a30d6780a2db3e03b1c6047974c522d425efa6e3200770ec2d5" }, { "bytes": 7031, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ef9cac8efa5ebda3c1b98e687221a1332dfadb85a500c525babe93a58b8a22ea" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102088/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102088", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7026-b405-ace83a6eba74" } idrCebqDQ2WH5q2Ipm5XVBwXmDve7VmXqffwy5YV+sax5DpoAuMbbc0PIbHuCG4G9+J7JIsTBU2FhwKM/tPbAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: idrCebqDQ2WH5q2Ipm5XVBwXmDve7VmXqffwy5YV+sax5DpoAuMbbc0PIbHuCG4G9+J7JIsTBU2FhwKM/tPbAw== {"files":[{"bytes":18276,"name":"index.html","sha256":"01c9d8e683e76b5ca55bb1987bfe012779861539bf155a72128e2e7637c9b81e"},{"bytes":8031,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"679d7f4c075c68fc1984f95e920f3135b894d2bc083ee2824ca77964c32f0055"},{"bytes":7710,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3d4ade4d76ed7eb3e94aba396975d0915c796d763a3e238ab387f0fd4b8e4a3b"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7a16dc222f11984872c4eb6fefac16b0aa61ebb996ea4c0c3e00f03c34de358a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7fe8ff7a9d2da196a6719871fe2d497ee3e5c4611151787291eb3c4e3606bdd4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fa7345809112bfb58510f8f58009fa9808f80cacff4a3089bb0893c441f6a5a4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102089"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102089
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102089

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
3d4ade4d76ed7eb3e94aba396975d0915c796d763a3e238ab387f0fd4b8e4a3b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102089, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102089" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102089 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102089 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1123 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18276, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "01c9d8e683e76b5ca55bb1987bfe012779861539bf155a72128e2e7637c9b81e" }, { "bytes": 8031, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "679d7f4c075c68fc1984f95e920f3135b894d2bc083ee2824ca77964c32f0055" }, { "bytes": 7710, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3d4ade4d76ed7eb3e94aba396975d0915c796d763a3e238ab387f0fd4b8e4a3b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102089/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102089", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7ef9-8011-add1e1055a54" } p0UXiG0OiekpJIdI44yckBKfd/B6xPQcsuf7FAtCkGTMvgUc2hPmMbJeM4EiN2/ZQUYO5zrW9dKRaQuTYswNAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: p0UXiG0OiekpJIdI44yckBKfd/B6xPQcsuf7FAtCkGTMvgUc2hPmMbJeM4EiN2/ZQUYO5zrW9dKRaQuTYswNAw== {"files":[{"bytes":18027,"name":"index.html","sha256":"605402734ee0e106123d2845d17cf2396013b12399458f30fbde7c50eab76511"},{"bytes":7825,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ad7b26e6fce5efc59f7b551445212d3f98029a837aea83d2633f2351fe1fc3af"},{"bytes":7504,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2002bdf0143b1d09b86e1a7d1ef828d759e6dcd2dfd2ead886911b7e0b837698"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c9e1961c55ad38ab8f8025dc88b727001af83dcbc87c025f57867ae61ec15327"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e5fdf81f1ebd4d57cfd26ba405b6d3856738dc10eb4b17fbbf9bff01d77e0019"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4a353905f6bb8e58fa279ca05d190a3c49ff71db9b9244103798119b176fc2e7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102090"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102090
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102090

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
2002bdf0143b1d09b86e1a7d1ef828d759e6dcd2dfd2ead886911b7e0b837698

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102090, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102090" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102090 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102090 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1089 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18027, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "605402734ee0e106123d2845d17cf2396013b12399458f30fbde7c50eab76511" }, { "bytes": 7825, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ad7b26e6fce5efc59f7b551445212d3f98029a837aea83d2633f2351fe1fc3af" }, { "bytes": 7504, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2002bdf0143b1d09b86e1a7d1ef828d759e6dcd2dfd2ead886911b7e0b837698" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102090/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102090", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7ba0-98ca-4107481ae3c9" } bUobKWoOxz+2THqE7yInntOE5p/fyRKg+Su8YcWwAaHD0nwYbRiBD65c8On3xanr5ki3Q4/hFtZzRq5U3SdnBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bUobKWoOxz+2THqE7yInntOE5p/fyRKg+Su8YcWwAaHD0nwYbRiBD65c8On3xanr5ki3Q4/hFtZzRq5U3SdnBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17246,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e1fb29e2e4bd9f46e715a910e37fe89e2273c8b076b1fbda9612a8b308e8d0f3"},{"bytes":7157,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9887b6190776a5b8615764962e7885439a752d09d9c739d526140eb9823942be"},{"bytes":6836,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a7fee8be0076a2a517722284b35db09188905b31cb09112a89f604a6ac1a27a0"},{"bytes":2815,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"00a2bcbac9c87d161de2d6199a7aad417395403d595eafaf1fe3fa3fe6787400"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"338f181c4753ff382608542585ed2a2a01bae3b0cdca795bd26650918f1808f9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e817b905c29a467a1d235b997437ee291f252a58be306f72f1132730fef7c029"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102091"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102091
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102091

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a7fee8be0076a2a517722284b35db09188905b31cb09112a89f604a6ac1a27a0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102091, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102091.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102091" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102091" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102091 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102091 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102091 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102091 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102092

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
4c169eddd2dc7de5a49ed94992b5dd1d41f8e528fd361384f413d78b39640e61

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102092, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102092.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102092" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102092" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102092 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102092 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102092 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102092 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102093

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
013945bee3d53a994f8255933441d913024be449302b677da684d49fbbed8f6f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102093, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102093" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102093 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102093 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17789, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9afefbff5ebc6ac8a75a1643f982e098a801631b2b483cb91d90be058dcb2eff" }, { "bytes": 7633, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e396b77be97cc0b157ba0b11e5ac4f4f905af4d8cc12382d2cd869433c5c2aab" }, { "bytes": 7309, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "013945bee3d53a994f8255933441d913024be449302b677da684d49fbbed8f6f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102093/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102093", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7176-a965-d60e0fa0f247" } knc5Fsb1DFrSvOhD2PKeSPK03CZhh+BWcnROPJgTigKmdCOT+p9+VMxK9C0ZyOkOFCuV0xkYMOF0LVpsLAZcAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: knc5Fsb1DFrSvOhD2PKeSPK03CZhh+BWcnROPJgTigKmdCOT+p9+VMxK9C0ZyOkOFCuV0xkYMOF0LVpsLAZcAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17246,"name":"index.html","sha256":"46d28a9a3da83188edfb983d5d41e1d23a538ecf2f4463a6948a42a79172b0c1"},{"bytes":7157,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c8be38be9d0418e058555877aff6701efe0ec2b17f8eb76753f5b6d653995845"},{"bytes":6836,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2ea043b44f1712101c6c001a2d5b47138c56acc9fc20fb6679a9dc39f1838387"},{"bytes":2815,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6f32398f6150a922e774081d9d67ec5a64cc28999816c83a46c12f04e4424b6a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"352c5d6c7c38f081d2d03fbbf7306f920d534def76bb62d4ca67785139ac7fd5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"373ebe2337347045bbcb235b3598c771d9d04362b92ff67ab6972bfe1da74c5a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102094"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102094
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102094

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2ea043b44f1712101c6c001a2d5b47138c56acc9fc20fb6679a9dc39f1838387

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102094, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102094" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102094 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102094 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 981 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17246, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "46d28a9a3da83188edfb983d5d41e1d23a538ecf2f4463a6948a42a79172b0c1" }, { "bytes": 7157, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c8be38be9d0418e058555877aff6701efe0ec2b17f8eb76753f5b6d653995845" }, { "bytes": 6836, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2ea043b44f1712101c6c001a2d5b47138c56acc9fc20fb6679a9dc39f1838387" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102094/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102094", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7576-a295-92795d38f68b" } BVHDY0dBBb3WA5EamQe+5Na3+DEJde+w2JhAE9/tsvRbthARGWIpqs3/sawsHK+IvciOSGpx5qgbGM4vFqfdCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: BVHDY0dBBb3WA5EamQe+5Na3+DEJde+w2JhAE9/tsvRbthARGWIpqs3/sawsHK+IvciOSGpx5qgbGM4vFqfdCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18038,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0c7b39f22ab1eb8b909b37ce358cf845c645a5fdcb815cf6461e88fa612cb3a7"},{"bytes":7839,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"40605dd8a7ed8d2b4c5584ccdbb4c0f099c9b546ded3afb478ac79ac07feacc8"},{"bytes":7515,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"91b8fda61f2c641da0aaed9235c0889fd22a0b18492111a932c8ecab935e3b06"},{"bytes":2825,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"660dd579911297b89818f9fad5b2a581871a6289a286a401bc99ca0925b6220a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"430a88a5989e0e6d3b06aec86136bc190399daf93c81771af9d10fa59f8af8e5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c3289db48ba2142aa3cd2cfbd39627ac804fcf09657a38d1dda11dfdad2e261f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102095"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102095
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102095

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
91b8fda61f2c641da0aaed9235c0889fd22a0b18492111a932c8ecab935e3b06

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0027]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102095, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102095" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102095 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0027] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102095 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1086 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18038, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0c7b39f22ab1eb8b909b37ce358cf845c645a5fdcb815cf6461e88fa612cb3a7" }, { "bytes": 7839, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "40605dd8a7ed8d2b4c5584ccdbb4c0f099c9b546ded3afb478ac79ac07feacc8" }, { "bytes": 7515, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "91b8fda61f2c641da0aaed9235c0889fd22a0b18492111a932c8ecab935e3b06" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102095/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102095", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7da6-bd4d-d0e403f4c860" } bjKNWGEHQh5PyufYoilBbA9BQ1o+qHCPR50ThUWNuLKUOYwHiXuanFVbRlCj+6br4sAIuxE2OML59ul3FBwCDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bjKNWGEHQh5PyufYoilBbA9BQ1o+qHCPR50ThUWNuLKUOYwHiXuanFVbRlCj+6br4sAIuxE2OML59ul3FBwCDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17789,"name":"index.html","sha256":"da74b334e42c9ff0838140ebed7e5254c0675e763ee061b39c3b3a55055155cd"},{"bytes":7633,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"51c059dec8db116fc4021043bc5a8a4e859cbe8535a204fb077cd662958f3bcf"},{"bytes":7309,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b661fd81e981ec9a935526e13d4d596b03d89539964e8fb98f886913789a0ecc"},{"bytes":2825,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5b8ff8b767e44bb91ce44eea98a6cb79ed54f77287a32c43b1a9718439b93855"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1175e66d153279334bfa4667e9361e1ce739736c5f243d94303c6f8747dbd4cc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c5e9c0c30303122cf46b5211717322bb1637a03229966d98f0bfb615955ea9c1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102096"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102096
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102096

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
b661fd81e981ec9a935526e13d4d596b03d89539964e8fb98f886913789a0ecc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0010]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0026]The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102096, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102096" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "plant vacuum supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102096 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the plant vacuum connection, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0010] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the plant vacuum connection, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the plant vacuum connection. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0026] The tool carries no valve between the plant line and the face, so the plant vacuum is applied to the face whenever the plant line is live; release relies on the release element alone. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102096 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1052 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17789, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "da74b334e42c9ff0838140ebed7e5254c0675e763ee061b39c3b3a55055155cd" }, { "bytes": 7633, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "51c059dec8db116fc4021043bc5a8a4e859cbe8535a204fb077cd662958f3bcf" }, { "bytes": 7309, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b661fd81e981ec9a935526e13d4d596b03d89539964e8fb98f886913789a0ecc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102096/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "plant vacuum supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102096", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7557-bd97-b3c401489934" } n3vfqE89yUuwHAHMg08NBAxde3mgb3WAtnGLT4FgZawuK+z5HTBk7E5J4B/b36LjjfXxnm8SNDb+m8BY6DdCCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: n3vfqE89yUuwHAHMg08NBAxde3mgb3WAtnGLT4FgZawuK+z5HTBk7E5J4B/b36LjjfXxnm8SNDb+m8BY6DdCCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17309,"name":"index.html","sha256":"45fbff7f0b641123d5094eb5218fb98ed03e36cc1ced2d3f7c21416a4c32d5be"},{"bytes":7160,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"652922aeccb9c62cf9fb8b8f6bdaa739718a88704e1b20b628e03278776181f8"},{"bytes":6859,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"444bdf6d94fce8941f84d2ccfc7381e99ba80c318b0d03f1c5ea7249343752f0"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8110dff807f7500db96de0d76c4d985589f488c6b399a97ff82ba2794148b88e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"297a1f0a13d20407f13acd4aa2938681f2e3e67366515b5ea0f1edea1c19dc13"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fd1c3ebafc75ee0dd797bf7a0a3ca713ec49dd0c9442eb9638750e9b8836afdb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102097"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102097
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102097

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
444bdf6d94fce8941f84d2ccfc7381e99ba80c318b0d03f1c5ea7249343752f0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102097, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102097.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102097" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102097" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102097 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102097 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102097 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102097 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102098

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8418ee3d7bb9e36a7d69ed9357e155b427a176e987e89e51b96d619c38a9da54

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102098, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102098" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102098 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102098 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18107, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "64fd047600e6acc0c47bd2ffb2d6d7bf2bd29305eeee883bd0f1bee4e4ce4e25" }, { "bytes": 7848, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4d1d819cd2500967b5af682e409b06699851997fe9f78220d04d16f6aa34aafe" }, { "bytes": 7544, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8418ee3d7bb9e36a7d69ed9357e155b427a176e987e89e51b96d619c38a9da54" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102098/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102098", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-71ee-8849-e394b1dec703" } ajWIz7S4xA56hvFyqGpZe0pBdL78NbT2Ky9bP3Pwygg8hnPD4J85+CssNKlR9d9c5MYzNBIM5mYhFc/KjJ3UBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ajWIz7S4xA56hvFyqGpZe0pBdL78NbT2Ky9bP3Pwygg8hnPD4J85+CssNKlR9d9c5MYzNBIM5mYhFc/KjJ3UBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17858,"name":"index.html","sha256":"79e5fc560146d543249d739c8c7eda8d57d9db08134c0aae9386c52e98746732"},{"bytes":7642,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fa614cd950089e1148b2d75730ebd8ad6b25d82f1fa40c7c9c27e2af87b8a657"},{"bytes":7338,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"35147090bf305472202373281d4ba7b490bd2c76fb049d8a2ab073dc45aee182"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"995240dffc1bdb4ca10d5ba1228616f74d8684ba5f7538d711c013d9112eeb47"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8fc0d9e9f3b80242e29181a5e6efc83b61a1098519eb98f63a38a6bac4d960cf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c7c1c48d0b12b28a6c63989657ae1eb51914fd8ab6dedf61e8c11f588214efcd"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102099"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102099
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102099

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
35147090bf305472202373281d4ba7b490bd2c76fb049d8a2ab073dc45aee182

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102099, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102099" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102099 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102099 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17858, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "79e5fc560146d543249d739c8c7eda8d57d9db08134c0aae9386c52e98746732" }, { "bytes": 7642, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fa614cd950089e1148b2d75730ebd8ad6b25d82f1fa40c7c9c27e2af87b8a657" }, { "bytes": 7338, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "35147090bf305472202373281d4ba7b490bd2c76fb049d8a2ab073dc45aee182" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102099/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102099", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-72bf-962c-c0e94ab986b2" } ref3xepd9ua8A8ROElXCfF8OYtM1nl6JallCB84oumMdYD6WW+RtYSh1IYXhzItMoTLNUGSQOsI52fjU35TuCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ref3xepd9ua8A8ROElXCfF8OYtM1nl6JallCB84oumMdYD6WW+RtYSh1IYXhzItMoTLNUGSQOsI52fjU35TuCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17310,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8b7ed21e25d439e88d4f61a879246c5255fbc70d80869c6f9925ebb9ad67131e"},{"bytes":7161,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"46644e0eb9f8cc99828067fdc80cc4274954af8ebe4ba1a49edb83dfea640754"},{"bytes":6860,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"01a768da36f97456dd3d546f305c95fde760d8073910dd41b43f33120fa3105a"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4177e331de3fe15fc1c615b91da8641ff81652e0b3b49dbd003eb228cbea402f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f2be5c5bd7791d40b0600d7f7c7b2a8b96d851c7d6a6d0eb224b027706d3a803"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"edec1dc1ad46922fabe82958490accba82254804e32c7f0129b7bdd8a44e59e4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102100"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102100
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102100

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
01a768da36f97456dd3d546f305c95fde760d8073910dd41b43f33120fa3105a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102100, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102100" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102100 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102100 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 992 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17310, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8b7ed21e25d439e88d4f61a879246c5255fbc70d80869c6f9925ebb9ad67131e" }, { "bytes": 7161, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "46644e0eb9f8cc99828067fdc80cc4274954af8ebe4ba1a49edb83dfea640754" }, { "bytes": 6860, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "01a768da36f97456dd3d546f305c95fde760d8073910dd41b43f33120fa3105a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102100/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102100", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-72a6-8206-f75312d3cf1e" } FTRPCQhvQxZCPQcg38J8an7VWqSrVumXFguatlmEvJTBVDR9KuLSG5eLcbn+1E1cEy5DVuMKfvDfKEXmB+VnBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: FTRPCQhvQxZCPQcg38J8an7VWqSrVumXFguatlmEvJTBVDR9KuLSG5eLcbn+1E1cEy5DVuMKfvDfKEXmB+VnBA== {"files":[{"bytes":18108,"name":"index.html","sha256":"df1a73c85e530a7b6e0ae07bb8bc077aeca0ea418fe10012e5818fda4a7b7f4f"},{"bytes":7849,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9f219731cfb103a07af6a2473ed68fdabdfd5b909710af9f413d0f581c9513b5"},{"bytes":7545,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fa3050b34d51ad26ef21644650e6c2168c227752b077ec788bbcbab95595d945"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"448cc6d5ff650aa14c029078217b294395d10a1c30dfca697c94ef3efa7469c7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f4c35df99c84b45c74aa0aefbf1c297df860290919f82e65b22ff06e74c0fb83"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c9dc2cdd72fed1058a9104015d6784d4bc49989a991dddd8ae4500fdac7ed34d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102101"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102101
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102101

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fa3050b34d51ad26ef21644650e6c2168c227752b077ec788bbcbab95595d945

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102101, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102101" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102101 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102101 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18108, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "df1a73c85e530a7b6e0ae07bb8bc077aeca0ea418fe10012e5818fda4a7b7f4f" }, { "bytes": 7849, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9f219731cfb103a07af6a2473ed68fdabdfd5b909710af9f413d0f581c9513b5" }, { "bytes": 7545, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fa3050b34d51ad26ef21644650e6c2168c227752b077ec788bbcbab95595d945" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102101/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102101", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f12-a419-a532efa62a3e" } B5kLyqkBnjT+6yPlH2vGG4RPCzsjGfNXJW58Lo1AXC0D1QX6sVkZTIuyl78fVHtV0kYt5jGhCLYhGwoNuxUfBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: B5kLyqkBnjT+6yPlH2vGG4RPCzsjGfNXJW58Lo1AXC0D1QX6sVkZTIuyl78fVHtV0kYt5jGhCLYhGwoNuxUfBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17859,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ea84d2cca48088c9c68a8627e8db9767b3d98a6a04fc0aeb4e5923673af2e974"},{"bytes":7643,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"dd33552bc9e52e503cb207fdd70aa9697fd2c4ab92eebe97c10792839a6bd223"},{"bytes":7339,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fac4c705c54a05da234c61002308226d964668dceb8ebecbb591f5dda6a09935"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bcfe4af16c8feaff41ddb6a546c31ffbf06e41aede64235117fed851300484a0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"17de7c40dfb37f9fc327e089a4097bd69abc5c7b958d2e088911819385cd7611"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4382dc35d1a8fdcae4963c61a157e69ae1a9da66ed6fffa35d9e6f79c7fd5449"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102102"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102102
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102102

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fac4c705c54a05da234c61002308226d964668dceb8ebecbb591f5dda6a09935

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102102, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102102" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102102 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102102 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17859, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ea84d2cca48088c9c68a8627e8db9767b3d98a6a04fc0aeb4e5923673af2e974" }, { "bytes": 7643, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "dd33552bc9e52e503cb207fdd70aa9697fd2c4ab92eebe97c10792839a6bd223" }, { "bytes": 7339, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fac4c705c54a05da234c61002308226d964668dceb8ebecbb591f5dda6a09935" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102102/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102102", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7ab4-8791-d049d7b3c6fe" } XwXMuwztqdVSkQZ4J3Nrewdb1zcHbXJ59iilRDAxIa3dHMeNkMY00n4JrB51kZsuEXeojL5KMku1UYSyyY2WDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: XwXMuwztqdVSkQZ4J3Nrewdb1zcHbXJ59iilRDAxIa3dHMeNkMY00n4JrB51kZsuEXeojL5KMku1UYSyyY2WDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17314,"name":"index.html","sha256":"693c322f18c2837c2895af4daccc3d76bfde0499f1bc103aea1fa31cf87121a1"},{"bytes":7165,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f4623ee6f91e72d767eb88e367fadba55530e39cb3797c0626f42572be440124"},{"bytes":6864,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"12e2a83f86a731e3e6b09dd9470ff470ca3bd644164fd8d2d894cba08f918120"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d657a9cbb34d7de12e927b98b8e7d80ce029baae40969889c71daab5dc4470d7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fa4ba3c831ed1230cd17c55d2b8604a628c592a16440d8856751efa81e566147"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1fac81c1715edc6360449c16a6c8e6fb58e0eb77a8e276403e12fbd823c3450e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102103"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102103
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102103

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
12e2a83f86a731e3e6b09dd9470ff470ca3bd644164fd8d2d894cba08f918120

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102103, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102103.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102103" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102103" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102103 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102103 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102103 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102103 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102104

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
05b51ead0ca7f7222b0c2c383ca16a8eeb0deec819670c03665ae0345b71dd38

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102104, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102104" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102104 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102104 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1097 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18112, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ced27d55977a62e2bd6f4fff05a4b5eb7cb584a5ce610536269211ae8e9d2705" }, { "bytes": 7853, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "50028b8ea9f9d756a83c139b911ec365aa8c7f61a1247b3f836b4f51ab808e37" }, { "bytes": 7549, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "05b51ead0ca7f7222b0c2c383ca16a8eeb0deec819670c03665ae0345b71dd38" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102104/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102104", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79ce-b747-6a75695584ad" } x9u9gZUI1MHWMrs/5bMVDhJbBzL3JYvQsAQh+cF8f8FGv0sTUzV6dsd3Eusq/YlHGUhfoJfd0p2ycalDl/j3DA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: x9u9gZUI1MHWMrs/5bMVDhJbBzL3JYvQsAQh+cF8f8FGv0sTUzV6dsd3Eusq/YlHGUhfoJfd0p2ycalDl/j3DA== {"files":[{"bytes":17863,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d130432204cdea6b0a54a80256dc687ce4f6c0613d7965d71a47a9f5eec2d3bc"},{"bytes":7647,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b864c87c0cbf56f57d769fa9ae9d0b2ef7e76872b61267c4ecbaed956f18a4f0"},{"bytes":7343,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c3a185383de4c912916d7d3d56b69d70c34229b2c73892d03190a0e019087e36"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4aaf745ab33e9d8a2af9f4dbc7d9c6851be211a901c4c58e7831273ddb31aaa5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"739ce0dd610dcb2fa653e7f83e5613764064b8bac24374dff54760cd68fdd24e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e1496a58ee65a54f5b6f9b6c736628b64dcc2ca80ab88ed64f4e850b0bfe475b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102105"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102105
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102105

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c3a185383de4c912916d7d3d56b69d70c34229b2c73892d03190a0e019087e36

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102105, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102105.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102105" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102105" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102105 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102105 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102105 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102105 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102106

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6aca60deb105a1a5ded14690ac4ec4b8309bf20d87cad08164b76333430c4b53

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102106, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102106" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102106 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102106 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17495, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b04bfabcf5cdb6e6dd271bb265faac6d994aedd5991f9477820621cda172b75c" }, { "bytes": 7316, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b0ac2d115fc9f3c1bc4e17b841b621a562ea2eeeaf0830e501c655ca9c19edc4" }, { "bytes": 7026, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6aca60deb105a1a5ded14690ac4ec4b8309bf20d87cad08164b76333430c4b53" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102106/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102106", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-75c5-85c9-6ec1f9a68461" } fQbM166cU/2Kyl2NVDicGel9o8eSL/WINUxYRWQuCbPPKic4jrrgpcSStfWtOIzgrqRby//a9+xx2Dr38A4TDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fQbM166cU/2Kyl2NVDicGel9o8eSL/WINUxYRWQuCbPPKic4jrrgpcSStfWtOIzgrqRby//a9+xx2Dr38A4TDA== {"files":[{"bytes":18293,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5b5b5332aded8e369e2911eeae1eacb4bcd5d51c4fceb05210f77bb06553bff2"},{"bytes":8004,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"463856407ea45bc7ffaa73087b35511f2300a58579eb7e89a88f80401d89dc1f"},{"bytes":7711,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f92ffe3b1086a467496098be2be496417c5ed039839df408e1d624b1294b82dc"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6446fd4093c9c517db9e35a5f3cb7411ca26cb60aa0114e773159a535ed3792c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b17b14ef3e66bacf4d15c93782d7e5709153c47d579f1630360e5121bc1be4a1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f5116e0477e28b4a7c2bef65d4fb6166ed0bf5a5a6d035ca509ed62d83893f43"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102107"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102107
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102107

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f92ffe3b1086a467496098be2be496417c5ed039839df408e1d624b1294b82dc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0029]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0030]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0031]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102107, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102107" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102107 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0029] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0030] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0031] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102107 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 31, "words": 1137 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18293, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5b5b5332aded8e369e2911eeae1eacb4bcd5d51c4fceb05210f77bb06553bff2" }, { "bytes": 8004, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "463856407ea45bc7ffaa73087b35511f2300a58579eb7e89a88f80401d89dc1f" }, { "bytes": 7711, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f92ffe3b1086a467496098be2be496417c5ed039839df408e1d624b1294b82dc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102107/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102107", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7fc5-a462-76898f459961" } ea9cV9lvt6mf8c/tq0gun8eq5SS2icjHckGbzs3AsAvWWqtcURVRZlU0ac7baRlQBNjG6rC4ZI1Ms659FmsHDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ea9cV9lvt6mf8c/tq0gun8eq5SS2icjHckGbzs3AsAvWWqtcURVRZlU0ac7baRlQBNjG6rC4ZI1Ms659FmsHDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18044,"name":"index.html","sha256":"166096c0ed23be987b8daffa05ee2a3610806a09b615357acc199ed4c6b0d96d"},{"bytes":7798,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"51765d7a377d11242e9b43c9f0583141dba0d4aeba38ea5b4aee7dbd4130197a"},{"bytes":7505,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cfe37413606ca650635e5eb0c836219cdcb99b59ad69cd86eb41f29d6e835b21"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"80257f1bdf739b4c170f62b5c1b2a907375301587e572e7c8a8fd0b606444924"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0e350f7f96201226a2f02851eaf0ca6fe223ed0550bd01718644ea123c4778c8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0d454d5404e0227c68369b752ad401b31e91f7502a66ff993687b2450a9378f2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102108"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102108
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102108

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cfe37413606ca650635e5eb0c836219cdcb99b59ad69cd86eb41f29d6e835b21

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102108, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102108.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102108" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102108" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102108 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102108 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102108 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102108 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102109

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
007da8bb9a38707afc238cd02cb24ca6558f983e05e36dc81f2197340a0705a1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102109, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102109.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102109" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102109" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102109 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102109 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102109 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102109 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102110

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d3962bc34673edc847acc3e2cb3ce2f700a2b9f7387a32890eeb8d7db871d400

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102110, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102110.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102110" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102110" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102110 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102110 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102110 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102110 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102111

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
155c8263e27b19220c891a2bb428b2843e7293f3186854937c0bd7820828e60e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102111, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102111" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102111 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102111 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 980 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17203, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "be090f9d6a0d0ecf3770fc228ed4ed06e8b28a87bc3078b35056772e62a355b5" }, { "bytes": 7070, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ed493e2fb821bd49117f4fec1977b036b22f1dce336f48f02050b0e99a4a668c" }, { "bytes": 6777, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "155c8263e27b19220c891a2bb428b2843e7293f3186854937c0bd7820828e60e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102111/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102111", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79cc-88a8-6f248cc0050b" } EjUj3HVOLgFDt2gjrrNsGceP65zohl4OgWVSiDSTS8JWokbAlVyhuoWfNSebbn4jQDZM6dmEOyTaFm+Xv7VuCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: EjUj3HVOLgFDt2gjrrNsGceP65zohl4OgWVSiDSTS8JWokbAlVyhuoWfNSebbn4jQDZM6dmEOyTaFm+Xv7VuCw== {"files":[{"bytes":18001,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1c880c96ef6356bc6ff5e153fcf0816c39dde938c3ea84547d45865d32e8989a"},{"bytes":7758,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c630f6e87c0ad2de2bfba29e6a5e6102e66c4902e3af5cbf7843c0cca5fc3145"},{"bytes":7462,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b33a9a9629e27c1580cb9a29824a9e4d932d1634cc804145023e43035d9a3b81"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fc9f41ec2b4bc2d7f1acd230c0356bc2e9b8ba6301e6ae19cc0356ed7e5b70e9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"89351a28fb2d2c9d63d51372ebe91638f477f078867cd348803e1b17adc41548"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"98f95f593040eac219fcd3b123eab044a38dced9bf50bd24b0856f2756031413"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102112"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102112
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102112

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b33a9a9629e27c1580cb9a29824a9e4d932d1634cc804145023e43035d9a3b81

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102112, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102112" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102112 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102112 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1085 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18001, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1c880c96ef6356bc6ff5e153fcf0816c39dde938c3ea84547d45865d32e8989a" }, { "bytes": 7758, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c630f6e87c0ad2de2bfba29e6a5e6102e66c4902e3af5cbf7843c0cca5fc3145" }, { "bytes": 7462, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b33a9a9629e27c1580cb9a29824a9e4d932d1634cc804145023e43035d9a3b81" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102112/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102112", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-73c5-b098-ed1aaaae5b48" } hPrGT+Sx0+e9SfgZY8K6jPtlvIBypbRWVndMS9hfHIsVF83QYrPLGarPxwtgG8P4JwCl6n94ERAKIFY5842FDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: hPrGT+Sx0+e9SfgZY8K6jPtlvIBypbRWVndMS9hfHIsVF83QYrPLGarPxwtgG8P4JwCl6n94ERAKIFY5842FDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17203,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8f1efbd9b100467af52c28b7fc9c7fdf6a3c331d7590ecc4cc2fefda5c487a7f"},{"bytes":7070,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c2f371ca35b2d12abc95de1c4afba6802c1755dd6f1ee438146840c032343f2d"},{"bytes":6777,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3c0f7ae510bad44dc4d628bec334902f7070f32af0d51a2f7820f1f61fc7d2b8"},{"bytes":2763,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ce48c4bb62426f0a8749e5d98a0adfb48f7bca73539acbf5f0220258cfda289f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"dab58400c61200dd5cccebaf762c30b58e315dc1ba8af4107f313fde563d2ddb"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"61fe81778af5d4857c0e4f27ade991897f7057212c2a572ee58b2534601b8c81"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102113"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102113
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102113

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3c0f7ae510bad44dc4d628bec334902f7070f32af0d51a2f7820f1f61fc7d2b8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102113, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102113" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102113 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102113 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 980 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17203, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8f1efbd9b100467af52c28b7fc9c7fdf6a3c331d7590ecc4cc2fefda5c487a7f" }, { "bytes": 7070, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c2f371ca35b2d12abc95de1c4afba6802c1755dd6f1ee438146840c032343f2d" }, { "bytes": 6777, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3c0f7ae510bad44dc4d628bec334902f7070f32af0d51a2f7820f1f61fc7d2b8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102113/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102113", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-76a7-8455-67df66842602" } CkoThuBRmTWzr+dsY6D4r8NMBs7+0twa3td6q0yPI+JiY/DvYTz8+iJD4P6OWxR3kH1ipjDb70/rtPHmlGbQAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CkoThuBRmTWzr+dsY6D4r8NMBs7+0twa3td6q0yPI+JiY/DvYTz8+iJD4P6OWxR3kH1ipjDb70/rtPHmlGbQAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":18001,"name":"index.html","sha256":"006652ba9c373a4fe2494e2443cde1a8bd9f9d6f2b5fc7571051fc371c7bfe2a"},{"bytes":7758,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"52b37540ee307e6bbe372db2ac6b5b6960dd5f184de75650e9f8b751e101df75"},{"bytes":7462,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1df976f73dee2113c49b3b1c5fbae300c9196c13db3f0e2f32d85f83507b718d"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f64f65053066c198a9c88f7256a6da502104df02109152417f4a6011acf2a178"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f05d26f2b77a0bf0e173d920c5663e86cebcc96afb3a432991606086654d4cb0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f210315d7ce504c5b5f007c6a856aa676aed9f0510b1d9ad0907c0f4997dec06"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102114"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102114
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102114

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1df976f73dee2113c49b3b1c5fbae300c9196c13db3f0e2f32d85f83507b718d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0027]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0028]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0029]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0030]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102114, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102114" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102114 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valves, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0027] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0028] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0029] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0030] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102114 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 30, "words": 1085 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 18001, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "006652ba9c373a4fe2494e2443cde1a8bd9f9d6f2b5fc7571051fc371c7bfe2a" }, { "bytes": 7758, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "52b37540ee307e6bbe372db2ac6b5b6960dd5f184de75650e9f8b751e101df75" }, { "bytes": 7462, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1df976f73dee2113c49b3b1c5fbae300c9196c13db3f0e2f32d85f83507b718d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102114/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102114", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7524-9548-b821cec5f1f8" } XHPTbUkmywcsLORakryLXXuKqXh2pl3LR2+tg4kESkD7Wp3o4VzzUTnTu9GkmpePifu1jlUpD3k62nsImB8qBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: XHPTbUkmywcsLORakryLXXuKqXh2pl3LR2+tg4kESkD7Wp3o4VzzUTnTu9GkmpePifu1jlUpD3k62nsImB8qBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17752,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f3adcdba7b8876022e1ceda0000fa30200a20760c16a814d448f3a3d49b5fd66"},{"bytes":7552,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a3fac7409f61dfa8d207c6114936dc9635a070037ff22651021dc558daf79b4e"},{"bytes":7256,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"817538103a8e6c7229d0482778d303cfface3abb5dac86206880667048d66c58"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4ca861df9d301f2ad43cd740cef5ffa2ecf27a90fef4c287bf76406898665e58"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d7703290cd5ca5d6671134e8c3bf71d454bcd0743235b22b9a98b5cbafdaa757"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"bc54f82c7b32311477720b7696573da52c98a7eafbb8cbe420b81439ade1274d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102115"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102115
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102115

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
817538103a8e6c7229d0482778d303cfface3abb5dac86206880667048d66c58

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close.

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens.

[0028]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102115, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102115" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "compressed air supply" - "electric actuation" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **Four isolation valves.** Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102115 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] Four isolation valves. Each isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one valve per zone branch. Isolation is per zone. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the pump inlet line, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] One isolation valve is placed in each zone branch, so that closing that valve cuts its zone from the circuit and leaves the other zones under vacuum. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the pump inlet line, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valves and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - When a zone is not covered by the workpiece, the isolation valve of that zone is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve of that zone is in the open state, the vacuum of a covered zone is maintained by the vacuum pump. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valves; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valves: per zone (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valves: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] Which zones the workpiece covers is known to the controller from the workpiece programme; the arrangement provides the valve per zone and the controller decides which valves to close. [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] A zone whose isolation valve is closed is cut from the common line and does not vent or blow off until its valve opens. [0028] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102115 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one vacuum pump, four isolation valves, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1051 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17752, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f3adcdba7b8876022e1ceda0000fa30200a20760c16a814d448f3a3d49b5fd66" }, { "bytes": 7552, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a3fac7409f61dfa8d207c6114936dc9635a070037ff22651021dc558daf79b4e" }, { "bytes": 7256, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "817538103a8e6c7229d0482778d303cfface3abb5dac86206880667048d66c58" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102115/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "compressed air supply", "electric actuation" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102115", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, per zone isolation, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7fe8-bacd-03d9618d6e7a" } lZD5e2ma+ZG49jY/N0sqBb/vJ/4tX45Q++L+wwKBP1rCaBnUvoB9qFVkPdxZVTov3Xz6tvjSotaZqNqLjxTLBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: lZD5e2ma+ZG49jY/N0sqBb/vJ/4tX45Q++L+wwKBP1rCaBnUvoB9qFVkPdxZVTov3Xz6tvjSotaZqNqLjxTLBw== {"files":[{"bytes":16957,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b182c2fb5777c284e6d771ddafa1e46fb157be105b748f4147aa56b7a9d6d823"},{"bytes":6860,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"665e4a05fecf6f3868aee50f56e48e6f5dd0224348af6d81e0898d6bc2709418"},{"bytes":6551,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"292e72b97c191e18e648185ec84d8c395c106bc4ca9a16f690cff6edfd2c268c"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3bf13c32e05a460b43bef217c1a001b099f4df8ebcfeb43322a079d6b5d35a72"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ffaf573c944730d9c28484773a632b55394817b127de102d9172fab73c8c4a11"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"40a8d074d36aaa96ec354526b63113ecc8268aa0a13010ac674aad215642617c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102116"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102116
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102116

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
292e72b97c191e18e648185ec84d8c395c106bc4ca9a16f690cff6edfd2c268c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102116, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102116.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102116" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102116" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102116 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102116 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102116 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102116 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102117

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cf9464b8102ef1f0a05317fc7945f455adc4e8fdc796778a7309400b2e014ae6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102117, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102117" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102117 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102117 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17755, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "979e49bd68cf3ef3de7ddc47e63bef1fb782f984a7bf6c48922f7c5e1cb2f9d7" }, { "bytes": 7548, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ba11912ee8e0a887a8885eedd17fc5a026e09cc9e2da15e74ad1715f7ab77c2f" }, { "bytes": 7236, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cf9464b8102ef1f0a05317fc7945f455adc4e8fdc796778a7309400b2e014ae6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102117/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102117", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79ea-bbd3-e180b3903e5a" } xJVWVNAuvT6t2uv1AGORvdMMQPy00j9cPywo4cySeHBTEPOkIfNSo24P8zJ8vAhE+ZMX0pD2C2poUL9YjTlNBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xJVWVNAuvT6t2uv1AGORvdMMQPy00j9cPywo4cySeHBTEPOkIfNSo24P8zJ8vAhE+ZMX0pD2C2poUL9YjTlNBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17506,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e0f435578db9314ebc4f7555b19838db8611bfababaf816c701c0918e9b8416f"},{"bytes":7342,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"70a035caf473d628d8e24364a53d0f506cf15f0291aa9e0e3ad685c7100d79cc"},{"bytes":7030,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bf7d152426d55f47ead70a079c4a12174891b6e7393748ff12c83fca33707e62"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5152997b39ef5aef1726997ba71d7452291d25e2a227498a2ab28728347d34b2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"56f3c83c33db66a61e39afacb2d54307411728a8c062f53db3094204ce96c364"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5263e525cfa751846f7c7da5bfbf5241855f7f4b8c0c8654b70c4a41904e6b5d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102118"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102118
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102118

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
bf7d152426d55f47ead70a079c4a12174891b6e7393748ff12c83fca33707e62

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102118, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102118" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102118 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102118 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17506, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e0f435578db9314ebc4f7555b19838db8611bfababaf816c701c0918e9b8416f" }, { "bytes": 7342, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "70a035caf473d628d8e24364a53d0f506cf15f0291aa9e0e3ad685c7100d79cc" }, { "bytes": 7030, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bf7d152426d55f47ead70a079c4a12174891b6e7393748ff12c83fca33707e62" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102118/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102118", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7c7d-8a58-529d6881b286" } xgHDGLzyvfowVR17NgE3IlJiEgll1LTwMzv4HKWn3G+LBEGNoGfF+B2YyZ12towe+RSfzlq3H6L2Rye3m56GCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xgHDGLzyvfowVR17NgE3IlJiEgll1LTwMzv4HKWn3G+LBEGNoGfF+B2YyZ12towe+RSfzlq3H6L2Rye3m56GCg== {"files":[{"bytes":16958,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6d5082cfe541f98c90f04438f5df48db201b9dda31790154455864e86fef4d94"},{"bytes":6861,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9e21fd8c466385ea24d76b0718ea40f543145286e49654cc3d89ca030aa6d63f"},{"bytes":6552,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c3445823226cfa7dba3a88de272996d1549f0e4857c2e7979b8d079997a0da84"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"93f89ccacf197dbd1bbd416ffabae4790f4bbbb3fb4d8bda017e95d7332c5662"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"011aca1b10db654eff987d488cb17372170afdc0e7eeca58e7da3e2f10c3d6a8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fd61f135454548f70485919ebbf67a28abec7c65d1e074987affef452832cf7c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102119"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102119
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102119

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c3445823226cfa7dba3a88de272996d1549f0e4857c2e7979b8d079997a0da84

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102119, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102119" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102119 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102119 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16958, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6d5082cfe541f98c90f04438f5df48db201b9dda31790154455864e86fef4d94" }, { "bytes": 6861, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9e21fd8c466385ea24d76b0718ea40f543145286e49654cc3d89ca030aa6d63f" }, { "bytes": 6552, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c3445823226cfa7dba3a88de272996d1549f0e4857c2e7979b8d079997a0da84" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102119/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102119", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7b7f-afa4-d4dbef0608de" } ItwwD8dA0eRQaF1eqIPENviy87o1ZSo0ExPLeK9FsbBVRlIsDndwQhCvwenFicM2GwoKIwrKGnW9VlZ7UdpRAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ItwwD8dA0eRQaF1eqIPENviy87o1ZSo0ExPLeK9FsbBVRlIsDndwQhCvwenFicM2GwoKIwrKGnW9VlZ7UdpRAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17756,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b7367189d789c4f5ed20c436218fac5fdd08508173f8600396ca4c610287a77f"},{"bytes":7549,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b425ed4360258871f722ecfdf6ca5e1481819af9ce8a3abcf781976854ebd20a"},{"bytes":7237,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fba2ec9672b68076b551db411978b48ccf9f02f21b59118ff6129e4d4dbbcafd"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"515590181eb00f53476c4c8b1413f0a6ccd48dcf2c3945ee928bf968515cdb20"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"119e1ef2ac2670bd5696d9d79664c63076b3979553fc7bc2999fa2becb7e764d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"562dc2f0cd77f54b664303553061158c0f7b7b18079fe094709d26b24e99340f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102120"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102120
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102120

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fba2ec9672b68076b551db411978b48ccf9f02f21b59118ff6129e4d4dbbcafd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102120, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102120" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102120 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102120 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17756, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b7367189d789c4f5ed20c436218fac5fdd08508173f8600396ca4c610287a77f" }, { "bytes": 7549, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b425ed4360258871f722ecfdf6ca5e1481819af9ce8a3abcf781976854ebd20a" }, { "bytes": 7237, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fba2ec9672b68076b551db411978b48ccf9f02f21b59118ff6129e4d4dbbcafd" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102120/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102120", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7304-be79-c4db485bc3e5" } fPG0SSGrb4Lg8SGe2b0PG/AsTwebyMGXOrj/RpNNQP0Z9th0GNTGyjqXaM2aeZNYHM3Gvyi2kOGdTm8O/xopCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: fPG0SSGrb4Lg8SGe2b0PG/AsTwebyMGXOrj/RpNNQP0Z9th0GNTGyjqXaM2aeZNYHM3Gvyi2kOGdTm8O/xopCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17507,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3a84905d81707fe4c215b10a0785cbcfc1cde8a05afa48db067180e4353ea587"},{"bytes":7343,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d29fbf414e029b1e13289c10d1987d5d5a8fa1496656e7b96644813d6813beb8"},{"bytes":7031,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1a4caff70f9f8c60d4e55963554ead712a3e8eef97bb814a433b9f89ca5c6cfa"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c453928073c00dea880d467c322b4aee54bc0eb48a4f513bb543df907c2a6dc4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ad8b9ace7767ca4aa81a96dbf1d639fdb7c664a903b924a06dd11cb1b0ba8529"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"24cc210ec0b5595fe04179037c1886df47ed603a2c94b35e607288193a67bb50"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102121"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102121
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102121

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1a4caff70f9f8c60d4e55963554ead712a3e8eef97bb814a433b9f89ca5c6cfa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102121, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102121.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102121" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102121" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102121 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102121 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102121 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102121 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102122

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
96b89c9d40744fda4cc3b1b04e704f034ea6e9e365d514267c1cb36632823b8f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102122, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102122.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102122" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102122" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102122 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102122 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102122 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102122 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102123

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
78e95c620e54d46a45ae5721e07a4a77ad4ae1acc645191b118729791b6e6e5b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102123, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102123" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102123 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102123 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17760, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d8e2ec6a42fa9ec6771be7982657146743f018e0550ab08747b8286b6cd91910" }, { "bytes": 7553, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fae5b78b339ac444f6785314e213645ad7ef96fc8c0b1cc6d8a51bb301e8d332" }, { "bytes": 7241, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "78e95c620e54d46a45ae5721e07a4a77ad4ae1acc645191b118729791b6e6e5b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102123/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102123", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7166-9794-e34811bf8268" } tDG2zPbXbBhfYEZoDzXD05Tueu9MmhMDLDs4e/ofeeM5nPFkr+FTbX4EFi7+0JzjmqNc+azlUCQV2PIlkp4DCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tDG2zPbXbBhfYEZoDzXD05Tueu9MmhMDLDs4e/ofeeM5nPFkr+FTbX4EFi7+0JzjmqNc+azlUCQV2PIlkp4DCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17511,"name":"index.html","sha256":"569babdb0cc9ce44f320d781fb0da171b546e6d02a226ca4e8bdb254c1a6f6c8"},{"bytes":7347,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"34f67e413df1ea7d74dfa3e8e6cd88ae38a975bb4639f10a35a7c0d8be337344"},{"bytes":7035,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d95eb8f4c9fe8483a979a96224aba023fe6185b8a1578b1e8e2adfb41c519601"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ff0bcd15552794ef88283ec423c7996e94beecd9433f4c4004c50c691e5e835c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8cb4fc592024c4fd89d1e0fb40ad6d00c6798fbe26b88638d0d6851183367329"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7668669ed59fb3ed70608b27ff8502cfb7f01bdd72681375d34dedde65b3e016"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102124"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102124
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102124

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d95eb8f4c9fe8483a979a96224aba023fe6185b8a1578b1e8e2adfb41c519601

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102124, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102124.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102124" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102124" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102124 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102124 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102124 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102124 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102125

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
fc93bdf801235d4e3caf6ee0366844f7144e475155fe047c836126a174d0066e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102125, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102125" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102125 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102125 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 976 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17146, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "398498c829bd96d0457472a397c29f0af46466f07d7c352828dc2d03df730896" }, { "bytes": 7017, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "df44ed284700c9f3a8b811c1b3720f4d3177585d3ee42e0613f60ddc0a72c386" }, { "bytes": 6718, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fc93bdf801235d4e3caf6ee0366844f7144e475155fe047c836126a174d0066e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102125/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102125", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-71cc-ad22-6d4540595340" } 5XO2OANr6FpkEOJUCNriL6PBUeMiuRTlDz47yl5wyRwInhOCONccdWQzeMJsEQTxXBTbPvd/lCvDXoqmow2xAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 5XO2OANr6FpkEOJUCNriL6PBUeMiuRTlDz47yl5wyRwInhOCONccdWQzeMJsEQTxXBTbPvd/lCvDXoqmow2xAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17944,"name":"index.html","sha256":"89d5b12c4969b002831073b13d7904cc0583df4fdc66ec70fe62edd145e358ce"},{"bytes":7705,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5469b613b0d3f9fcf223d216bd79478024b09cc217ec034eb2e98dcfa1c06040"},{"bytes":7403,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9e65ff691b9bbce85171e56160a50516e109eb7853a20843f4a93062154bdf1c"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f783455ed44b03884eaa0133bb7d242a5c59fa9e43d1423877b87e54c663c9c7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"532d539bebaa49d8ca5bba3d85cf069c57ca8fc08be300986dc7dc4e271fd0c7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8032bbfcb86520f5c6de4a812242224bc2592ff861ee91132b560e5365096884"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102126"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102126
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102126

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9e65ff691b9bbce85171e56160a50516e109eb7853a20843f4a93062154bdf1c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102126, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102126" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102126 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102126 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1081 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17944, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "89d5b12c4969b002831073b13d7904cc0583df4fdc66ec70fe62edd145e358ce" }, { "bytes": 7705, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5469b613b0d3f9fcf223d216bd79478024b09cc217ec034eb2e98dcfa1c06040" }, { "bytes": 7403, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9e65ff691b9bbce85171e56160a50516e109eb7853a20843f4a93062154bdf1c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102126/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102126", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7408-bc43-201eb5febe27" } c4UtWeEiUg9/SgH0WjUxotXgUXuGdSI/c3MlSrTgtJFx4eUPkMQBVjuscdAHRFsxBnSBcVJCOqlsSS/locMkBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: c4UtWeEiUg9/SgH0WjUxotXgUXuGdSI/c3MlSrTgtJFx4eUPkMQBVjuscdAHRFsxBnSBcVJCOqlsSS/locMkBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17695,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9c03cc9b94ee9b891e93da5707cd6e51ff8190ac611b5e8b05d227e3d58d73ef"},{"bytes":7499,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d8c4bdebcf64fd742b79bb6e111532e3241a992c3634fbeb38332ad96377f7ab"},{"bytes":7197,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"28cf262c873952613df1e088664bf8ad578913a9141f35b8ef12e099f07ea3ed"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ba6e8d9b592fddd53630b4f1535a4ecbf1e72f93052ade08f97aeb22d85d2c8b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5e1dbf866231d3ad8206d6502de1ce87fdbc24346c2843ff7aa892b83dcf861c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f9f648ff4d8f0660e493eba88cbabe808800f5726cda92599eaf0f843252223a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102127"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102127
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102127

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
28cf262c873952613df1e088664bf8ad578913a9141f35b8ef12e099f07ea3ed

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102127, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102127" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102127 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102127 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1047 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17695, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9c03cc9b94ee9b891e93da5707cd6e51ff8190ac611b5e8b05d227e3d58d73ef" }, { "bytes": 7499, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d8c4bdebcf64fd742b79bb6e111532e3241a992c3634fbeb38332ad96377f7ab" }, { "bytes": 7197, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "28cf262c873952613df1e088664bf8ad578913a9141f35b8ef12e099f07ea3ed" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102127/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102127", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7763-bda1-bc34ed56f24d" } oLWoPOxIpDrHIEy9LaMGxq2BoikLAnOYH3qkq6NtnR1De4OcRJppg8o9PNLjeklbSS3nReLkOBnjQNrRH7dSDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: oLWoPOxIpDrHIEy9LaMGxq2BoikLAnOYH3qkq6NtnR1De4OcRJppg8o9PNLjeklbSS3nReLkOBnjQNrRH7dSDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17092,"name":"index.html","sha256":"951b84ebf2bbc6e5f2db5de886f03f2601670dfc82b319a698ae1cef9abcd37c"},{"bytes":6963,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"674f9e36613d2fd448969eaf804d7c8a8a53fc03611b5c9167508bd62d4cedd8"},{"bytes":6664,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"baed486e1bd4f243cc11aa01eae345b95d11bd1cd03d0f5bfc8a7ca84851036e"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0d0880aef3e66c04823254ad9be47b0cf46cfc0f19f7248d5bd29fc69448aee7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4f6263378d2db836ffcf65434b48e82aacf85a338e1db27c58f3446595f181ae"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f12b94c9a603cef87d5607896b2341b3f363724c160650d523bbe667675445ec"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102128"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102128
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102128

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
baed486e1bd4f243cc11aa01eae345b95d11bd1cd03d0f5bfc8a7ca84851036e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102128, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102128.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102128" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102128" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102128 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102128 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102128 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102128 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102129

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
faa4dcafc6da95a282458edf1e1da7b55922da773be1152cb2ab25b1b6bc4abe

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102129, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102129.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102129" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102129" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102129 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102129 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102129 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102129 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102130

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
652f1df4fc44909e1f6e5ab24cf26896d1e35b19545ed6cdc0f91ffcc0349852

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102130, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102130" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102130 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102130 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17641, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "472646203f27a33adc63b62807166ce512fc26511c9a55ea85ce71ddb716f58c" }, { "bytes": 7445, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d0fd9c79700643ca9239f27fe3edab830dfc731412c97e90c049c4c6547729e0" }, { "bytes": 7143, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "652f1df4fc44909e1f6e5ab24cf26896d1e35b19545ed6cdc0f91ffcc0349852" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102130/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102130", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7738-83ba-100b41485623" } EXUaYlCnbqwD9ADCBa09XmNQJaDGrSsGhZipNDEoHBBQ5HgxIIU3pGTYy4M8AHoJki3DAJsQvHgfqdhCblaDDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: EXUaYlCnbqwD9ADCBa09XmNQJaDGrSsGhZipNDEoHBBQ5HgxIIU3pGTYy4M8AHoJki3DAJsQvHgfqdhCblaDDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16851,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1e256663ccb4a5abbc82ce2ae2677d377c703dfe180e60492ff0d7da702a13bc"},{"bytes":6770,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d50cbf53eb72f3d3ce1f201145241caf16567f40c4c1fcf62dd83eb415bd3ddf"},{"bytes":6469,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ff673ac0d2ba4c7e21d8459d31535c66142ff12be5f300a2c92257e55ae3d397"},{"bytes":2759,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1e35b805cacd4a34da9f990f508cc099176982dd284f8598b6156cdfd02b7c5e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"676c64560f59468dad36eb8ee3593d5e82e61fadc679b905c93833ae4a9dfda6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"880ff8061eb8aa17f14ba29f96ba948ea4c8f9c2aa8a608b49a49d0dc64454f2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102131"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102131
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102131

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ff673ac0d2ba4c7e21d8459d31535c66142ff12be5f300a2c92257e55ae3d397

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102131, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102131" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102131 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102131 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16851, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1e256663ccb4a5abbc82ce2ae2677d377c703dfe180e60492ff0d7da702a13bc" }, { "bytes": 6770, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d50cbf53eb72f3d3ce1f201145241caf16567f40c4c1fcf62dd83eb415bd3ddf" }, { "bytes": 6469, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ff673ac0d2ba4c7e21d8459d31535c66142ff12be5f300a2c92257e55ae3d397" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102131/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102131", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-781e-a1b2-d87320374c72" } sj4IWi6dnQV+zAMDx9z3YjX35WTYrNNy9Jwdif+FsyM51zq7d2H9d3Um4DEyhlCMQumCJDoF75urkukIrLGLCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: sj4IWi6dnQV+zAMDx9z3YjX35WTYrNNy9Jwdif+FsyM51zq7d2H9d3Um4DEyhlCMQumCJDoF75urkukIrLGLCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17649,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c8e6efde3a9c15bb10f9152b72c7715cfdff65e747eb301736a302c7b976bddd"},{"bytes":7458,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a1f9c1a6be922c19d7c04e1dc214bbb38e9dc33b8d9a5539b07a6341e0e72fb1"},{"bytes":7154,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0f1a46969e51f63be24766a59ff926d73df0103651882f027f8c9d98b1129c6e"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b1d3bf9c0fdabaeef516fdc2aee309ab86c229cf2d4a2767ad99c9af6b67f2d8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"aad0c4126fae5bac9969b702a0c7bee170c09e909d0690506e0019b8b0640446"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d874f9dc7399dd145a7ae65cb6608f773d4488d40a0b75e533306bf9683328ca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102132"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102132
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102132

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0f1a46969e51f63be24766a59ff926d73df0103651882f027f8c9d98b1129c6e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102132, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102132" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102132 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102132 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17649, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c8e6efde3a9c15bb10f9152b72c7715cfdff65e747eb301736a302c7b976bddd" }, { "bytes": 7458, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a1f9c1a6be922c19d7c04e1dc214bbb38e9dc33b8d9a5539b07a6341e0e72fb1" }, { "bytes": 7154, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0f1a46969e51f63be24766a59ff926d73df0103651882f027f8c9d98b1129c6e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102132/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102132", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7a81-a49d-38c191d8e82f" } BOjvU44XqHJGYGjcVW0kFyGPjBujX/IUfk2D/TMc4SGMqiQz+Mblt9oEy+zhWWqZhg7sVP+fIkyOKSMbsPqsDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: BOjvU44XqHJGYGjcVW0kFyGPjBujX/IUfk2D/TMc4SGMqiQz+Mblt9oEy+zhWWqZhg7sVP+fIkyOKSMbsPqsDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17400,"name":"index.html","sha256":"39314b09ca2091f2e34d959be33c9f8f3c661a3746fc4c7e5fea78d2b711fdf6"},{"bytes":7252,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"377f36d9bc9cb2c59eb28e39c8b53fe664585e5b922cc5f503dfd2e354f83b4c"},{"bytes":6948,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"303646f36a41a5a249b47e061bc65e07fa3a588440bb57dd993dd302d05d5e7f"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"777f83a6fcf72ffa024af8d54ce5134d400a8cf1d1829b924abdbd035c95895b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"821ff808a302fecdfa037882ce629a218eee202c51c4d12aa17b45c2cc84fbb3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a64ea5b24318614826178496bb40d5a29089cfacd122b4c4f13786ebd4fc36cb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102133"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102133
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102133

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
303646f36a41a5a249b47e061bc65e07fa3a588440bb57dd993dd302d05d5e7f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102133, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102133.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102133" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102133" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102133 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102133 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102133 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102133 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102134

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
86ffcd011583e327d45f945082ce3a46df2082ea47ae64a181c25afc4db8f862

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102134, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102134.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102134" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102134" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102134 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102134 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102134 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102134 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102135

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f9972eb1ea51f38293097c634d3d03e6e9a9753c211181cbfe94d365eb42ae7d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102135, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102135" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102135 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102135 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17649, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "329319e29f215917becf5fd8ca3e94840ac77edabe0192eb5bc1752e23dfbcae" }, { "bytes": 7458, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "75f5674a7d86c2eb15043636735e3eef87b8627ee9e31a21e14e1ea310d07579" }, { "bytes": 7154, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f9972eb1ea51f38293097c634d3d03e6e9a9753c211181cbfe94d365eb42ae7d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102135/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102135", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7b2e-8d1a-1a1c425e00ff" } p+vRAinrwupJySn6XK58uy04ShdPSnWg/cjRnLIoKGQpufSSMhaJxRCRWuA39cC+PuZxcNXC939hgqvalQmqAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: p+vRAinrwupJySn6XK58uy04ShdPSnWg/cjRnLIoKGQpufSSMhaJxRCRWuA39cC+PuZxcNXC939hgqvalQmqAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17400,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8627347d712ee9ad3522183e162121e08e0cf2b73b9f75871be2fb2c39398488"},{"bytes":7252,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ddaa10d180e95452cf6d03e3d017aa85f7d422b3ef265c9b220b5a7298af7b69"},{"bytes":6948,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"024df145ec73f374c1db7972f448080ac214fd538743271dab8dea645295aba0"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"aebef1eb4c6c2383d91eed1d1b6c2a79515f51eb5fec3fb6e4057970cedd12e8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"39061cbb048b8b2eb1e22fc22a74544ce28e91cb02c123e5f1a4f1e6ac7cc58d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e4ec63836bdb9375a968e64e6fe28e631a8f806b7dea62dab3b8226771a12eb8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102136"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102136
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102136

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
024df145ec73f374c1db7972f448080ac214fd538743271dab8dea645295aba0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102136, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102136" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102136 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102136 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17400, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8627347d712ee9ad3522183e162121e08e0cf2b73b9f75871be2fb2c39398488" }, { "bytes": 7252, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ddaa10d180e95452cf6d03e3d017aa85f7d422b3ef265c9b220b5a7298af7b69" }, { "bytes": 6948, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "024df145ec73f374c1db7972f448080ac214fd538743271dab8dea645295aba0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102136/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102136", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7862-ac6d-1df8cc645200" } 0pTAJxSr/RyBN5eAC6joxpURTLM9ilM+4s9caMWjK2dchE4spm2IkAGMiDX7a6XYBwMqmyWJrb+brhIgTJcVDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 0pTAJxSr/RyBN5eAC6joxpURTLM9ilM+4s9caMWjK2dchE4spm2IkAGMiDX7a6XYBwMqmyWJrb+brhIgTJcVDw== {"files":[{"bytes":16946,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3f046779746b31a7a92f204ea19c51a50c6d8dd7c204947ebd47c182be916908"},{"bytes":6855,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e861d16a41c7ed7669914a0144d172676dc984ae352f146921b7783d5eac1374"},{"bytes":6549,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8b0308f6918a6f94e18a2cc5a6ef4943ad4eed31307e176f62d36b0b07482d61"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"26b49ee898e005e939ee0516e7b9f5487b7e4528ebc3bd0c430995804ae54d2a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9382f974386cb8ff84830c756690012f5be903928f4ebd6e44faef9464528b66"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5420c6fe84b2b70ae8904ea54cc92fc663d4de3dc6113aab2c67a65605f0206a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102137"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102137
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102137

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8b0308f6918a6f94e18a2cc5a6ef4943ad4eed31307e176f62d36b0b07482d61

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102137, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102137" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102137 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102137 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16946, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3f046779746b31a7a92f204ea19c51a50c6d8dd7c204947ebd47c182be916908" }, { "bytes": 6855, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e861d16a41c7ed7669914a0144d172676dc984ae352f146921b7783d5eac1374" }, { "bytes": 6549, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8b0308f6918a6f94e18a2cc5a6ef4943ad4eed31307e176f62d36b0b07482d61" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102137/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102137", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7a44-a598-d19440cfea80" } 7gLDKHEJtdS0zvLlUaDqOykHGNecEsmcZF1KKl1/zxuScezflaVh1r2kUTon6B47e/OTn1ouj3Jo3QC/SN/XBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 7gLDKHEJtdS0zvLlUaDqOykHGNecEsmcZF1KKl1/zxuScezflaVh1r2kUTon6B47e/OTn1ouj3Jo3QC/SN/XBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17744,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3b10b908150eb64634d18cdbd9d67874a2ba00617cbdfa60fc6ef643a573c36a"},{"bytes":7543,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6a118bc3cd918632a310a99783d5e514f19485556f793b0159d3b86b2b5ee684"},{"bytes":7234,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fe1f1f94ed7fe90ad4a0a8d408a4e923a68d093e41df2ec6007246912a795af3"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e504e8c6670846e2e29709ad58c6ee5ab5a10eda3e79aedcc9b54facd8ac58aa"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"72711444bdf2a3e0d678addc42c9742fd60f49eab24b710b626daef4ffdb537a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a15d7c13a4b4c4e23fe1aadb867c6e9e5bdf9c5c68a0c3ed373dfbd116f02f12"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102138"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102138
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102138

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fe1f1f94ed7fe90ad4a0a8d408a4e923a68d093e41df2ec6007246912a795af3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102138, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102138" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102138 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102138 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17744, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3b10b908150eb64634d18cdbd9d67874a2ba00617cbdfa60fc6ef643a573c36a" }, { "bytes": 7543, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6a118bc3cd918632a310a99783d5e514f19485556f793b0159d3b86b2b5ee684" }, { "bytes": 7234, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fe1f1f94ed7fe90ad4a0a8d408a4e923a68d093e41df2ec6007246912a795af3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102138/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102138", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7dcf-8b8d-c66ff2e81f4b" } gwlalVnvvyEoSJMNNYjG1Vn8xI5op9Pb+W/YN7p9TzGfDMqU7KSJQw6zQ5dkf1hj+EDlLRbDrRh4H9o9WyB5Bg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: gwlalVnvvyEoSJMNNYjG1Vn8xI5op9Pb+W/YN7p9TzGfDMqU7KSJQw6zQ5dkf1hj+EDlLRbDrRh4H9o9WyB5Bg== {"files":[{"bytes":17495,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bc161d64969bf94687b0818a33d8d66471674c1bf43a073397f8bf626c2a5ac9"},{"bytes":7337,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"06fb5a1f4876c3968430b6a63880373863e2491c796e0741712ff05ee50c6e7e"},{"bytes":7028,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"da456ddf7be09d5639a61bcf1a9a2b34e660b9bc41c7538e907bb0071ab65544"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"34ce0dfe724710576b0d217e023e6e3f62344c75ce2485e7132cb5959b519f87"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"859cc84c9143537e3776d8d00f9c3d91d88c7fa6a24134e94be6ac8074a18997"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"47178b0d2230bcecb2f77b12c68011fadb9d4874e087fe3e9026841e2754e1e7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102139"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102139
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102139

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
da456ddf7be09d5639a61bcf1a9a2b34e660b9bc41c7538e907bb0071ab65544

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102139, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102139" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102139 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102139 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17495, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bc161d64969bf94687b0818a33d8d66471674c1bf43a073397f8bf626c2a5ac9" }, { "bytes": 7337, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "06fb5a1f4876c3968430b6a63880373863e2491c796e0741712ff05ee50c6e7e" }, { "bytes": 7028, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "da456ddf7be09d5639a61bcf1a9a2b34e660b9bc41c7538e907bb0071ab65544" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102139/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102139", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f59-992c-0cff34b408a1" } e/IMl1ibKGCYcA3NtJCQJqOLvZJF/icPMxCy7SQI4o8860+X3M+n5mCpoBPpCntcBua6yQaPAF41wXyCZ9ToDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: e/IMl1ibKGCYcA3NtJCQJqOLvZJF/icPMxCy7SQI4o8860+X3M+n5mCpoBPpCntcBua6yQaPAF41wXyCZ9ToDA== {"files":[{"bytes":16947,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d9659822cadbd98f3bc01d65e3fc036c02346986362d75ecc43ba9a97a844d5a"},{"bytes":6856,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a3f83eed4f7a4cda43cc3c535143bd6f6a560735ccc2756a53c7a6ebd6665c38"},{"bytes":6550,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a8e04281ddeaac904358ec364cb5c9769b0c42ea35a8bdc49df78250e1af7fcc"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6e26c453f35040097a1135eda6e41e07de3d4b6565b0ea9d92ec459b6a65d266"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"175044b158d363db32d18a3c69432754ffca33e860ea14847cacfeb7c5f69e30"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7e343a9461500d39d0895ee441c5e6c262c76104acbed5daa2c4658965af9a00"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102140"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102140
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102140

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a8e04281ddeaac904358ec364cb5c9769b0c42ea35a8bdc49df78250e1af7fcc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102140, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102140.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102140" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102140" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102140 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102140 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102140 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102140 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102141

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e56541233ee9ac849c033b7f6da73ffb82e6b6280f457b64f8949b8d5da7ebef

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102141, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102141" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102141 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102141 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17745, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6f4ff6ec4ccdf61354f869bb92680e299814d021fc01ab687d00f692844116ba" }, { "bytes": 7544, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e3e4df104bb22aecbef5d2551c229e1a38e93ff6e294db39bcb4fc03521ecfa7" }, { "bytes": 7235, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e56541233ee9ac849c033b7f6da73ffb82e6b6280f457b64f8949b8d5da7ebef" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102141/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102141", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-729d-9353-353d4593258c" } m38ktNRY9nLswPpeREB6dnM4fVEIj/qtVEzsk4iwNshhPc4HRXtE6I4FyZlggQS1cWarlNZ/XUkSwaGl6tPAAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: m38ktNRY9nLswPpeREB6dnM4fVEIj/qtVEzsk4iwNshhPc4HRXtE6I4FyZlggQS1cWarlNZ/XUkSwaGl6tPAAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17496,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b421184cc067c54c891f1b7d5ca4a4d5fe2eca9630371706092ac37c9c2196ea"},{"bytes":7338,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"17b8434637ba4ef060cb6acc34499277b917c9d44a3ebb3d32b095f064dbfec0"},{"bytes":7029,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bd91139b146264ac5e4e6375af75f553615838d164d9efdbded15d3c8a33b38f"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"449a6b71cc40e9c51b6e0f506c5d9356ed5334a6b0daf7d0c30471792ad7a5e9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"88066fd79214c1338e848e8d79dd567530c6db34f6203ec9c30a26bae21a3b32"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"21ccd4b277f91d97beeb6eff00d3338b184b8fd30c764a6abb31ac50bf60c30d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102142"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102142
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102142

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
bd91139b146264ac5e4e6375af75f553615838d164d9efdbded15d3c8a33b38f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102142, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102142" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102142 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102142 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17496, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b421184cc067c54c891f1b7d5ca4a4d5fe2eca9630371706092ac37c9c2196ea" }, { "bytes": 7338, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "17b8434637ba4ef060cb6acc34499277b917c9d44a3ebb3d32b095f064dbfec0" }, { "bytes": 7029, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bd91139b146264ac5e4e6375af75f553615838d164d9efdbded15d3c8a33b38f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102142/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102142", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-77e4-84da-a99ab8929882" } CBlSw3R2IS3+ZKVVuNOBHwOTMjel2HaV4UmtDZcXQRaey6qUeOsVTG8vdWwWNGSmmxp7vqfMkEtkAn1YKPqMCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CBlSw3R2IS3+ZKVVuNOBHwOTMjel2HaV4UmtDZcXQRaey6qUeOsVTG8vdWwWNGSmmxp7vqfMkEtkAn1YKPqMCA== {"files":[{"bytes":16951,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d40231290b85dad406bd0490756d00ae18fef487e23ebf225feff7e5dd1555e6"},{"bytes":6860,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4d44e9fb7764f7d97da3a83942bfe321d96efafc4cb4196150794e9780d3e60e"},{"bytes":6554,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8e59a54ae7695233fefae390737e568b4007f5cac0d248d7029673cd05c916b1"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f8e376844cbe3bc0109c57e7c1cc4573fd3f5bfa79401c08c6f75ead6949421c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"da63a6552ed9d1d588716a02471d046769523d2d024acddf9fac1cc731b00680"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ff698193c949254fa1528c6016a4c9b3b15d938a70682c7d7e56af675ac1e676"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102143"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102143
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102143

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
8e59a54ae7695233fefae390737e568b4007f5cac0d248d7029673cd05c916b1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102143, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102143" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102143 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102143 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16951, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d40231290b85dad406bd0490756d00ae18fef487e23ebf225feff7e5dd1555e6" }, { "bytes": 6860, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4d44e9fb7764f7d97da3a83942bfe321d96efafc4cb4196150794e9780d3e60e" }, { "bytes": 6554, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8e59a54ae7695233fefae390737e568b4007f5cac0d248d7029673cd05c916b1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102143/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102143", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7089-86f4-2607cb60d514" } rtWqCbrEIpepHwetKjWbyq1xmwdyx5DK0esWgVQTiYU+yhJSvDe6zHpBMXiUUI+zQUVjS6GySYJBscsQ1qGhBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: rtWqCbrEIpepHwetKjWbyq1xmwdyx5DK0esWgVQTiYU+yhJSvDe6zHpBMXiUUI+zQUVjS6GySYJBscsQ1qGhBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17749,"name":"index.html","sha256":"225ffd301a1516579ac34b7e4e9088bdded70de0b2d3fc5fd6f7da57f4b4dbf9"},{"bytes":7548,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1a1dd9e0e6f4a5261c3c67cff73818166fcc50a1429ecf903ffad9bb3a9f89ad"},{"bytes":7239,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9d1ec8754c4e45caed405aae13c4b760e2e4fbd918c81382bcc4b57991de25f2"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b2376b0e39a856fca9fc2a4124724d69b60588f779932196db5297466c2e5f9c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7cdb77bde4b6e26fecddf265e87bb691bc3afc5e13c8774ce4e69c54869f021a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9e419570f824c5a6b92c2b907fd1dca53fa399ce980fdbdd6303c4bb4f81cb74"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102144"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102144
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102144

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9d1ec8754c4e45caed405aae13c4b760e2e4fbd918c81382bcc4b57991de25f2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102144, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102144" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102144 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102144 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17749, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "225ffd301a1516579ac34b7e4e9088bdded70de0b2d3fc5fd6f7da57f4b4dbf9" }, { "bytes": 7548, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1a1dd9e0e6f4a5261c3c67cff73818166fcc50a1429ecf903ffad9bb3a9f89ad" }, { "bytes": 7239, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9d1ec8754c4e45caed405aae13c4b760e2e4fbd918c81382bcc4b57991de25f2" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102144/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102144", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7269-90ad-187c38088331" } y7ofHKtHdWnC0XjdXWA1mRxboDsQLrWqqhIeo6FjOhXEhvSr7t6qb5mHncMivdzogn3O+XRBPjTJ4TS9Egw6DA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: y7ofHKtHdWnC0XjdXWA1mRxboDsQLrWqqhIeo6FjOhXEhvSr7t6qb5mHncMivdzogn3O+XRBPjTJ4TS9Egw6DA== {"files":[{"bytes":17500,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2c2382babd44d4396e26a518897d0e4246b9f20c20e46d1b16d9059f030a601b"},{"bytes":7342,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"26dd475b4aec675bed149e55414ef784297d855e685c967a5d41e8238209daec"},{"bytes":7033,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e85f2d938b3a023680f33fd4d12d22aadcb92ed20d9ac5dcb135987cc5d58af6"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"750e4f4024cdccdc83edff1b852d6bf79a3f0db464dbe4eea6455555ea1d5166"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e4c94cd9e0bc5747ea2f7709224d5c5101fad82db4529a5ad7fee90e172e6b87"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"04d6971651a25224b447f53ed3683e81ef23840a163918ea679e88dc2cf3122e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102145"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102145
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102145

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e85f2d938b3a023680f33fd4d12d22aadcb92ed20d9ac5dcb135987cc5d58af6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102145, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102145" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102145 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102145 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17500, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2c2382babd44d4396e26a518897d0e4246b9f20c20e46d1b16d9059f030a601b" }, { "bytes": 7342, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "26dd475b4aec675bed149e55414ef784297d855e685c967a5d41e8238209daec" }, { "bytes": 7033, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e85f2d938b3a023680f33fd4d12d22aadcb92ed20d9ac5dcb135987cc5d58af6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102145/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102145", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-73fb-8b51-a8316c1dc5d5" } nBYjqO2773k57SnlzaDLFxkd2n5K7oeaBH4td2un3PqerU0GmkFv39QOzOy4dt7PJ47HL7kzKa1ufMqreaQxBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: nBYjqO2773k57SnlzaDLFxkd2n5K7oeaBH4td2un3PqerU0GmkFv39QOzOy4dt7PJ47HL7kzKa1ufMqreaQxBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17135,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3dac3ce54af7fe0e70c53317f065abf706371906a0d2a2f31cf4af67ceb1d31a"},{"bytes":7012,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1a996fcb01f2b58089ee278e44413d4415028bf2f6123fda16dddc0560de9c8e"},{"bytes":6716,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cc7abbd22f7bce79e3d4f9cf122e39621bbd0844604d5fb401e26858919b1d03"},{"bytes":2743,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"50744f680fc86825f202bb923d76203cf77326efb37e8cb60c1431802b15332a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c12570010810ad4be4c51b5e8cd519949b58e89925e338810d6d2a666d074485"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6bcf6f3f1a7a494feeeb1fc410e62a07a9c9de7f161a4adff5ab676100da2733"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102146"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102146
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102146

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
cc7abbd22f7bce79e3d4f9cf122e39621bbd0844604d5fb401e26858919b1d03

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102146, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102146.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102146" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102146" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102146 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102146 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102146 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102146 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102147

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
636c44e16596bfb6abafa5d8dacd071f29921b19fc73944c68fa6bde94f2435c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102147, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102147.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102147" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102147" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102147 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102147 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102147 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102147 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102148

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
58103d3ace44f2aa996c90e7fbdb4dd11ee18f8370179b97171a0be083436f0b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102148, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102148.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102148" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102148" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102148 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102148 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102148 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102148 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102149

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
9a29da0bd29376aa7b969d877cd6a10e096cba48680c8652f7dfa52d80fd037a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102149, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102149" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102149 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102149 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 961 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17081, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c7188caab3c91c5f0256a40f8ad9c1d92e08ec8da1259ba57eb7ba19724d37e2" }, { "bytes": 6958, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f5803a15244a9f792a6ed08f176811390713bc0e32dc0ba1072f1d380a211619" }, { "bytes": 6662, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9a29da0bd29376aa7b969d877cd6a10e096cba48680c8652f7dfa52d80fd037a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102149/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102149", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7827-89c8-7152018d29ed" } 7AoVJZsAk3rqj/y34Cczx/FMd0yeqw9OalNu7CWkFcg1LwWjuHmXRIfysRnYdDM3DYMNY9Afpu0JpiQKFuavCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 7AoVJZsAk3rqj/y34Cczx/FMd0yeqw9OalNu7CWkFcg1LwWjuHmXRIfysRnYdDM3DYMNY9Afpu0JpiQKFuavCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17879,"name":"index.html","sha256":"88b3643f16d57e67c3b19d6e6a7173e553b96bfee6756b2d17945cda46b94e70"},{"bytes":7646,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e9706d4f287f0ccfd72cbc6cd6b9671629bc7143636fc2da78b86e74a057d1d0"},{"bytes":7347,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0dbc30a0ce85be11c252b2787535eb32f839bfa6da5683b1b9ef27627d051368"},{"bytes":2753,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9fb41a37af7d991b848a535f1c96d655a4062dc0ee991e34c2cb1549fdd81c16"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5eca8e4d10fa8114f317397cb4a03c1e55d079e34569a000bd7a12e58a9bd562"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0688bf307fe9901245a7c8a1ed46da5fc07c5270dcd9d1fbebabab266a55af1f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102150"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102150
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102150

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0dbc30a0ce85be11c252b2787535eb32f839bfa6da5683b1b9ef27627d051368

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102150, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102150" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102150 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102150 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17879, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "88b3643f16d57e67c3b19d6e6a7173e553b96bfee6756b2d17945cda46b94e70" }, { "bytes": 7646, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e9706d4f287f0ccfd72cbc6cd6b9671629bc7143636fc2da78b86e74a057d1d0" }, { "bytes": 7347, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0dbc30a0ce85be11c252b2787535eb32f839bfa6da5683b1b9ef27627d051368" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102150/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102150", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7268-9efa-48cfa0a9c397" } 2GxK3cC57Q190Z2BbvLTSLckhvlN9dUc/OXkKYSfg4E5aco2cNcNwKCr/ObKkMlTGeAVc2KQ/YB0rafYOrHrCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 2GxK3cC57Q190Z2BbvLTSLckhvlN9dUc/OXkKYSfg4E5aco2cNcNwKCr/ObKkMlTGeAVc2KQ/YB0rafYOrHrCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17630,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5ecf6c7990a559811251d87f61b3b5858ca090b4921c064b61d0ac7608de3ec8"},{"bytes":7440,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0a68c3951336f9f279d8f5b737108d73e3464885d811b7846ab38a2917dce21e"},{"bytes":7141,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b882c05e92d19d3b5384125fe9c26b139d1a9b2c0f140d4c01dcbea9a6a2be8f"},{"bytes":2753,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4f731259c2f4d2072cb3bd6cda930015c3a650635613f3a1cca5e817c212ea6d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3b6a17758b28261317fc3b44bd029f1198806593dbcc7632920f6adb9ce8d090"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"11145b64cbd39c604d62a2c72092495aa8c4afa306458828c2b0d494fb6bde9a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102151"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102151
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102151

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b882c05e92d19d3b5384125fe9c26b139d1a9b2c0f140d4c01dcbea9a6a2be8f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102151, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102151.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102151" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102151" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102151 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102151 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102151 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102151 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102152

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
df39990e8d4866eb271a29ec01b18f2ef948993a18df1bf77e437f3bd92a6d05

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102152, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102152.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102152" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102152" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102152 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102152 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102152 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102152 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102153

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cfc479c02cefb2af454992cb0b0721f0d1444ee867285456b886fcb42183d66b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102153, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102153" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102153 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102153 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17638, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2ff558c9ddc47fc0635d92b4ff50e093f34fc6e01c466f8a5a7be6730f6757c8" }, { "bytes": 7453, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c57919b2dfdbe5f7cf6413f124140f285350105b15cc7a1fae149b178426b959" }, { "bytes": 7152, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cfc479c02cefb2af454992cb0b0721f0d1444ee867285456b886fcb42183d66b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102153/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102153", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7f5f-9d47-a4aa895aec36" } 6at36kxO6TgRXrHmsmQbzBZivvvKmoOjb3FcyMQrCdLXF8TsBf5z4o2Ya2PFerzfFR97n/I6U6sFjnvrOBm2CQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6at36kxO6TgRXrHmsmQbzBZivvvKmoOjb3FcyMQrCdLXF8TsBf5z4o2Ya2PFerzfFR97n/I6U6sFjnvrOBm2CQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17389,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e146af0654f1e6ca1bc34efd1e60598e7f5a4b61c7cea6f6219cca87ccc62d63"},{"bytes":7247,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3873672c4b3a91a08750c3c90cda50fe49497822efe94d5a2945a37dd3422076"},{"bytes":6946,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"885bf9dba92c188d124d0c5befa9c5ff89a7df2406140a803662d885284aa74b"},{"bytes":2765,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"339233a03501bce94c3bffc32c6fadd5e0700e6f5aeba65335a79c25472ce92a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4ca16dd4e0435b68caabf938726fe069393ecb2bcbef6287083be97b8846ea54"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"76e0871e25d06d50c2ed8303cdc5f591557d1bb4066081838ea0e45623c4ae7e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102154"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102154
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102154

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
885bf9dba92c188d124d0c5befa9c5ff89a7df2406140a803662d885284aa74b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102154, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102154" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102154 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102154 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17389, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e146af0654f1e6ca1bc34efd1e60598e7f5a4b61c7cea6f6219cca87ccc62d63" }, { "bytes": 7247, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3873672c4b3a91a08750c3c90cda50fe49497822efe94d5a2945a37dd3422076" }, { "bytes": 6946, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "885bf9dba92c188d124d0c5befa9c5ff89a7df2406140a803662d885284aa74b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102154/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102154", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7dda-a35d-9691c2bef8bb" } YF32S068PbjtxkOcS2xJAh6i3W2IswWP7ZWU2SYkf8Dj+F2e8yvSFoeS+NJ2d8hMIobkeJdctzmaegzYI2pKBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: YF32S068PbjtxkOcS2xJAh6i3W2IswWP7ZWU2SYkf8Dj+F2e8yvSFoeS+NJ2d8hMIobkeJdctzmaegzYI2pKBw== {"files":[{"bytes":16840,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e6ccccbbe3b283ce0c3dee9d619156dd3fd33668a2192259a67c4a3b27b292b0"},{"bytes":6765,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5333b1fd0fae7c7ed73b4ff30529879f63f208f6b2d1349207818435f4f962a4"},{"bytes":6467,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"562f381efd145847fee793752dc437c7e7f43d3097738cfb1e2eaf43076e6d4e"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9969361df86375f4af8026951465c38c08d131599c02f46455bcabbf2ceaa3c9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bd907727013c264dbb32463103e6ea52dcf5c1a7a260a0545bc89118579fcdce"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f0780cf11206f15829289b352e761922a3ac9c4b004717b7ab6a41ede2359868"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102155"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102155
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102155

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
562f381efd145847fee793752dc437c7e7f43d3097738cfb1e2eaf43076e6d4e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102155, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102155" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102155 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102155 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16840, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e6ccccbbe3b283ce0c3dee9d619156dd3fd33668a2192259a67c4a3b27b292b0" }, { "bytes": 6765, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5333b1fd0fae7c7ed73b4ff30529879f63f208f6b2d1349207818435f4f962a4" }, { "bytes": 6467, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "562f381efd145847fee793752dc437c7e7f43d3097738cfb1e2eaf43076e6d4e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102155/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102155", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-79c8-b312-9df0cae31ebd" } oCwhjLRH73D7zJ+JHfrcD72khgi+aZlxEiEYVX5xjkRnO5/aryVlee8J6k8EuKTkIImHSJUE8SkNo8WC1c5GAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: oCwhjLRH73D7zJ+JHfrcD72khgi+aZlxEiEYVX5xjkRnO5/aryVlee8J6k8EuKTkIImHSJUE8SkNo8WC1c5GAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17638,"name":"index.html","sha256":"298d28c82c07b1862e88900331a6854cfc19b1440b08d431181101e7f10806a3"},{"bytes":7453,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"806ee1ca67d0624d0d58983e4b4f363dbce76187a91e9d322369f7e36db2cc2a"},{"bytes":7152,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"837bfea93fd048ce15019e43cba6f64b909ef03da56fcafcc202e57b380515f0"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"85ce52a5709f286d79b40a4c049899fd5c035bb8738b4bb27915e0e2ea5b3357"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"94fd89a02902fcff6d1bed288c1c3486c219d3f53fe4cfc3d6c22650faaf944e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8ba8018c9b9a4a90d17d7c72cf212bf3d9cb52ad3da107368f8beb4e900584ab"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102156"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102156
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102156

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
837bfea93fd048ce15019e43cba6f64b909ef03da56fcafcc202e57b380515f0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102156, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102156" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102156 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102156 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17638, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "298d28c82c07b1862e88900331a6854cfc19b1440b08d431181101e7f10806a3" }, { "bytes": 7453, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "806ee1ca67d0624d0d58983e4b4f363dbce76187a91e9d322369f7e36db2cc2a" }, { "bytes": 7152, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "837bfea93fd048ce15019e43cba6f64b909ef03da56fcafcc202e57b380515f0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102156/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102156", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7e38-8f1e-1c75ee3e0776" } s9maVBmDQx3tUY4TdubAUnfRoY5FiJ1iOpDox0jsM5y6nxlY0Q7Us9uaK/CiZtfzhi9AcTIBGCaBBC6YBcuQDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: s9maVBmDQx3tUY4TdubAUnfRoY5FiJ1iOpDox0jsM5y6nxlY0Q7Us9uaK/CiZtfzhi9AcTIBGCaBBC6YBcuQDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17389,"name":"index.html","sha256":"32fb7d329fd2501cab5ce8f6ad5abc916db7774f9a18ae57deba58bd3f2658e6"},{"bytes":7247,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7a883f58cdd4a20f5e32de1eccac7b047b324546422f5ab12a7e4cfec364e357"},{"bytes":6946,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0007878503e73345903a695e36d7da8c867d2661ff0b388bb52c2fdceeb592b9"},{"bytes":2765,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f76077ef1c7fd253f490837a756f34f46d009bccf4603c70bbf60e62f7e2efda"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e9e025fbd2fad5e17d2f1b4ea347c619e2ae86f0c430441d33ecd162460cc950"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b85c8e4bf63cff56d254d6ac0fabbf803d781668e9efbcab16dcf4ee0412e800"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102157"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102157
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102157

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0007878503e73345903a695e36d7da8c867d2661ff0b388bb52c2fdceeb592b9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102157, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102157" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102157 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102157 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17389, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "32fb7d329fd2501cab5ce8f6ad5abc916db7774f9a18ae57deba58bd3f2658e6" }, { "bytes": 7247, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7a883f58cdd4a20f5e32de1eccac7b047b324546422f5ab12a7e4cfec364e357" }, { "bytes": 6946, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0007878503e73345903a695e36d7da8c867d2661ff0b388bb52c2fdceeb592b9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102157/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102157", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-791b-a020-b0b58f721897" } VmxLIbiFyfxBdXTvXAqvc1lBLJFGCbLjASan6VBJV/95N2C+d+OaHeU/1fMUhjr6lac3xBOwzXqp6havwljuAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VmxLIbiFyfxBdXTvXAqvc1lBLJFGCbLjASan6VBJV/95N2C+d+OaHeU/1fMUhjr6lac3xBOwzXqp6havwljuAg== {"files":[{"bytes":16958,"name":"index.html","sha256":"cd625972cc5babdd56a2f1a8f4a3222159e40329a86ee01222824368e42f9ded"},{"bytes":6863,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1336f970bff90f5ba047f2cf3e6bd40122f7c9b7302e74daf14481404a1643d8"},{"bytes":6555,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"200879752946919ee7d0b9dc27f068cf48c3ea84083b538678baf1d3e9ba8620"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1b8aaa9de9df095f62aa29c14e373ce99a7316bbc3bae79af07ac49938e847da"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"17b78ad071d64396796060b9c33da1dc307c343bf3c7ba10a61e3b16abe9f6f2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"87f46fb5b4be1730e04a30ec2f4dbc61b2f1000fad7fd8d29347f91d8d03bd1d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102158"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102158
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102158

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
200879752946919ee7d0b9dc27f068cf48c3ea84083b538678baf1d3e9ba8620

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102158, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102158" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102158 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102158 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16958, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "cd625972cc5babdd56a2f1a8f4a3222159e40329a86ee01222824368e42f9ded" }, { "bytes": 6863, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1336f970bff90f5ba047f2cf3e6bd40122f7c9b7302e74daf14481404a1643d8" }, { "bytes": 6555, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "200879752946919ee7d0b9dc27f068cf48c3ea84083b538678baf1d3e9ba8620" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102158/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102158", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7c8a-9358-5ff4ef873175" } guDAzc7cuHgLR8n06AY26G5yoOiSvCMoaKbMu2AYOh4PsXg0YTWP7YbAQbz2NkBVKtk2JKlq5FFCSBEDW1qIBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: guDAzc7cuHgLR8n06AY26G5yoOiSvCMoaKbMu2AYOh4PsXg0YTWP7YbAQbz2NkBVKtk2JKlq5FFCSBEDW1qIBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17756,"name":"index.html","sha256":"984f61a278433619a7a8e3cf8c3bb3df1cf4e9dbd4a2e1597745573817218c04"},{"bytes":7551,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9422241e5f7b08d222db249e7dd506559cf1938ee8238d21f24488bc747ed775"},{"bytes":7240,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1256d4b94b927b941c5ff6bc99c8222b943e748a829e92a6c8b1b50d97e54e11"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1ba2b476b5cfd866234591611e91576b6357dcf32a3ce4943d10596f006a2036"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"14a7534cfc554e68851ab08dc6e95713997c4ee65ed1c8066a34c288f1609b31"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9a19674df79792dcdc28b3bb9788ca49b7cbb2e4e0d62e4bf0cbab8e8f6d74da"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102159"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102159
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102159

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1256d4b94b927b941c5ff6bc99c8222b943e748a829e92a6c8b1b50d97e54e11

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102159, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102159.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102159" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102159" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102159 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102159 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102159 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102159 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102160

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
dc7d8ad87aa9784d341915864962bf673002b1e99edf0b82ead02e5d49b19e20

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102160, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102160" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102160 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102160 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17507, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "60644a07bc2e905d0cbae58fd955c49b50c55df970890680065e10dbbdce8419" }, { "bytes": 7345, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9e23aaeddbc368b67e14230a9f6a6886aa92d596249299ec834bf8c3ea4453b3" }, { "bytes": 7034, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "dc7d8ad87aa9784d341915864962bf673002b1e99edf0b82ead02e5d49b19e20" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102160/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102160", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7129-b482-e84670b8d159" } /EPJasWx/skdS9F2H3aRo/6bKpz84zDXRk+VTr2yUSohfINwgKoM96qMX7dRO/KyMqaUZP6frxEun35Ep3agAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: /EPJasWx/skdS9F2H3aRo/6bKpz84zDXRk+VTr2yUSohfINwgKoM96qMX7dRO/KyMqaUZP6frxEun35Ep3agAw== {"files":[{"bytes":16959,"name":"index.html","sha256":"980e5377647b6b6546dac15a1f43618ef5f63080a24505953d611d6b2fe6c01d"},{"bytes":6864,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"01e9e0bda4a1f194d820ef844458f40e0da0e787cce2138c7cc68c520a1bb1f5"},{"bytes":6556,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6b0295373e873121de7e67531ac52696a3c4dfe1f8b17dc4cea0e686409956be"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2679fd27451c2b39e70ed311375b7c6d8c8d1c4ca7dc4cd83be22ea410c1e858"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"878df26b9fd595f666d4417971633eabdd0b30b829aab546c78ce81663618033"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4b83b51821031b84b90068e0d87be1d45d51a237525361aecd9e6f5d75ad3439"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102161"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102161
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102161

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6b0295373e873121de7e67531ac52696a3c4dfe1f8b17dc4cea0e686409956be

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102161, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102161" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102161 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102161 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16959, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "980e5377647b6b6546dac15a1f43618ef5f63080a24505953d611d6b2fe6c01d" }, { "bytes": 6864, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "01e9e0bda4a1f194d820ef844458f40e0da0e787cce2138c7cc68c520a1bb1f5" }, { "bytes": 6556, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6b0295373e873121de7e67531ac52696a3c4dfe1f8b17dc4cea0e686409956be" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102161/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102161", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7552-8aab-3ff4cd5642bf" } UyIYafOHpzFCl308VdDG85G52vkNqc1+pGsL0ZK1BXz6w21eCkscG5RJ9vmSLjze+D4aY7xx3g9eY9Mdr2TmCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: UyIYafOHpzFCl308VdDG85G52vkNqc1+pGsL0ZK1BXz6w21eCkscG5RJ9vmSLjze+D4aY7xx3g9eY9Mdr2TmCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17757,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d10bfe47e1933b56b474d737ec76134dd2cd410e59c6aaeb639b5ca006a12ed8"},{"bytes":7552,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0ba31f20462e8584970e08387f0d83eebc8bae1f8150a24878e0615735208857"},{"bytes":7241,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0bf282da082f41af396b285ff4322242d8ee8f0e92d3f639de42a290004f575c"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6bcc56f816f019d18e1650e04260d0fd86cdc6549d72a42fd9f0b061c46b77d3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3933dc2ce0a969401a957867f0422b43cc1d68f250755ca546f2b7bc56aafcee"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"19a33f1e592262ffbcb9cfbaaf589cb7e51283749af2270bf87c729b9ac58c22"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102162"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102162
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102162

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0bf282da082f41af396b285ff4322242d8ee8f0e92d3f639de42a290004f575c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102162, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102162" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102162 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102162 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17757, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d10bfe47e1933b56b474d737ec76134dd2cd410e59c6aaeb639b5ca006a12ed8" }, { "bytes": 7552, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0ba31f20462e8584970e08387f0d83eebc8bae1f8150a24878e0615735208857" }, { "bytes": 7241, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0bf282da082f41af396b285ff4322242d8ee8f0e92d3f639de42a290004f575c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102162/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102162", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7599-9b18-bce2bbb1b1e2" } p4tX12xn1UNmYtib0vLmGYNPeYy6gT63QVrubmsP+jvJTaBCM/0eTZarpZUk8fhOVTjfiM4geGp7ySFxpoxAAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: p4tX12xn1UNmYtib0vLmGYNPeYy6gT63QVrubmsP+jvJTaBCM/0eTZarpZUk8fhOVTjfiM4geGp7ySFxpoxAAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17508,"name":"index.html","sha256":"94409de1cabbf8c2f15b30b6d39cbecc8c7384ab008716eb86c1811bb0775fc5"},{"bytes":7346,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"cd183227d86762a3113b4c8956edf8de909724dadcec28a79b1d100fa0988036"},{"bytes":7035,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a157f364e0d4ce18c9fc369a5921e2a415d0dda127ecfc5cec1ae0519b0b6b95"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5ee7bfb3845f4aefe91b63486e3c811e2f0c3f188b82a2f098e7b135829e91ad"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2d1d4298a6c7797e46ed85cb62063cb11012fedbaaee4775a537f646a15a0bfa"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"12f0acef893dc44ce0798bd788193403d2377fd769ed349d7df00aa4efafe0ad"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102163"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102163
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102163

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
a157f364e0d4ce18c9fc369a5921e2a415d0dda127ecfc5cec1ae0519b0b6b95

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102163, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102163" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102163 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102163 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17508, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "94409de1cabbf8c2f15b30b6d39cbecc8c7384ab008716eb86c1811bb0775fc5" }, { "bytes": 7346, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cd183227d86762a3113b4c8956edf8de909724dadcec28a79b1d100fa0988036" }, { "bytes": 7035, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a157f364e0d4ce18c9fc369a5921e2a415d0dda127ecfc5cec1ae0519b0b6b95" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102163/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102163", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7807-8c03-45f136d6a237" } nN0LUxjH0NmKIQgs+YB399uzIBMPmsnhvKPe1mK7TF4Mh0oRvSW+ORTcsYjiG8Xoc1kN823+p63OoUbje8E3Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: nN0LUxjH0NmKIQgs+YB399uzIBMPmsnhvKPe1mK7TF4Mh0oRvSW+ORTcsYjiG8Xoc1kN823+p63OoUbje8E3Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":16963,"name":"index.html","sha256":"12948769e83b2ad194c3161b614e5f2c8674fd6b219cab2d6c092fbbd09628bf"},{"bytes":6868,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ff2b12cd3f2035a3548f07dd2f075a2aa15ffc14e67315020624df7f4d1f8958"},{"bytes":6560,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a892f7bebe37cb217001ebe2ac6bfd1effa739074a6e89b2a20b8ce074cf6d83"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"524f751e49a99ac357f5e60cb978a8139a9d1af9ef27701e22b45ae4fbc4692d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5d29464b041375aca39d25276a638ba797bf5f9e38669af3c86baacdb4b61ea3"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4aee9cfbb0308e6193189ede55709550759500931c6afb343c4a3077be0ea0dd"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102164"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102164
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102164

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a892f7bebe37cb217001ebe2ac6bfd1effa739074a6e89b2a20b8ce074cf6d83

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102164, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102164.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102164" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102164" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102164 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102164 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102164 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102164 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102165

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
303fd817efc9359fb641ae640b8b1d617671890e5fa330d112b7a61164378d98

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102165, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102165" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102165 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102165 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17761, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "89be7dc59fef62333377608e384bbac2c5fc517d057e50e5c37813f808def73e" }, { "bytes": 7556, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3afbf179ef5ec1101d2a8966a3b3c3a83ced30b446a45bc853af3968abed36a9" }, { "bytes": 7245, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "303fd817efc9359fb641ae640b8b1d617671890e5fa330d112b7a61164378d98" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102165/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102165", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7aa1-af38-991505799bdd" } n+FupXKMM7Z2430tiH73BgIvdcd7bXDudppmguOCw2DluhNBSghz+ISp3YTPxmkrt1S3yX0LMIEYafgSmIExBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: n+FupXKMM7Z2430tiH73BgIvdcd7bXDudppmguOCw2DluhNBSghz+ISp3YTPxmkrt1S3yX0LMIEYafgSmIExBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17512,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dfb827cb59d43c7ff48ad6c6fb64df6f70221ac570fcff2cb3542aef81456142"},{"bytes":7350,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c6e7c8178cb808722d1f9972ed83f202cfa4f4401ef24a1c33cda04d732c39ed"},{"bytes":7039,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5b91a8fab4e67b6ea13fbbd352cf435debd41569ac674dd88e8d17e4a3842d08"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"72ad1a965468b88396a65ba02d28cda735e22c89e630abdd22f4b7f6b8500e7f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"97244c99cb981d4c89b723e9b2334fac13790fffebbb6f77da94d06059846644"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2ae47c2caf11c61e470e3b30c9fe3e29a30318b049e6ddb20d82f38e5d146038"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102166"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102166
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102166

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5b91a8fab4e67b6ea13fbbd352cf435debd41569ac674dd88e8d17e4a3842d08

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102166, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102166" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102166 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102166 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17512, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "dfb827cb59d43c7ff48ad6c6fb64df6f70221ac570fcff2cb3542aef81456142" }, { "bytes": 7350, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c6e7c8178cb808722d1f9972ed83f202cfa4f4401ef24a1c33cda04d732c39ed" }, { "bytes": 7039, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5b91a8fab4e67b6ea13fbbd352cf435debd41569ac674dd88e8d17e4a3842d08" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102166/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102166", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f2-7ac0-b258-681540270381" } vNjoCa91ICeCHpKX/X2GBMgxvVZJPVuTn6RzFl4FmtxRVHERDA5F3xRQKVpw9aZWthDMzPXPRazWT45iqaEsDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vNjoCa91ICeCHpKX/X2GBMgxvVZJPVuTn6RzFl4FmtxRVHERDA5F3xRQKVpw9aZWthDMzPXPRazWT45iqaEsDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17147,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4e2b7691391852bf118ce0377912c5509f05b6f828db58e816ac1b54df6ca480"},{"bytes":7020,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f1f1975cfb4fd524d72bd5bd19a5778617a1d4a93f386bc9e411101750be04f9"},{"bytes":6722,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a5c27302621f42225faf14c10980e79d76367e26d0b97fbd3337d140223a9ffe"},{"bytes":2745,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d4885be174bcb5fcd17be7c32be635dd9d5dc1a1744ca464ba115005f620bf2f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"44cf34965397e0c4794fe28f81ce858965352cc5295cc9620770a93d48504d03"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3ee7b551c16d1604effa4ed188f36579a9d22a9ccd94cf451e353c9fb1d2c2df"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102167"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102167
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102167

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a5c27302621f42225faf14c10980e79d76367e26d0b97fbd3337d140223a9ffe

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102167, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102167" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102167 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102167 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 976 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17147, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4e2b7691391852bf118ce0377912c5509f05b6f828db58e816ac1b54df6ca480" }, { "bytes": 7020, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f1f1975cfb4fd524d72bd5bd19a5778617a1d4a93f386bc9e411101750be04f9" }, { "bytes": 6722, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a5c27302621f42225faf14c10980e79d76367e26d0b97fbd3337d140223a9ffe" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102167/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102167", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-74ee-a3dd-77df940556c0" } VqrV6bEpLf2pyeEfzHWJwTfzttLWW2KovlbTRExv/ojSPG/HYpCBd1Jx+nYgAXM8r2sbN394IvJGtrcQPjQXAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VqrV6bEpLf2pyeEfzHWJwTfzttLWW2KovlbTRExv/ojSPG/HYpCBd1Jx+nYgAXM8r2sbN394IvJGtrcQPjQXAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17945,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1325303c4149f39a5847c3ef2aeff062929f2f416cb8be30be1e0e33636c4af5"},{"bytes":7708,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e4e268287d1cca65d1e726b4e692fa37d706ad6df14f3ee66d8eb45b828348da"},{"bytes":7407,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f227313db9eb219a1a6792f524a8b9db8b8b462b3397ffd0c12562e6edff04bc"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a119feefb39baef104c42db3adaf7a3a3b8f32624985cf975c1692c119991484"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f1f414be70f3bddc53b363da1606903fb1c950d5830bc09e54e8eda4fdfb2bf2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d034f8a294e2925fd6500d5810bb002c8afcdc7c7e52e75e9856adb11280cd3e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102168"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102168
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102168

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f227313db9eb219a1a6792f524a8b9db8b8b462b3397ffd0c12562e6edff04bc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102168, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102168" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102168 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102168 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1081 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17945, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1325303c4149f39a5847c3ef2aeff062929f2f416cb8be30be1e0e33636c4af5" }, { "bytes": 7708, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e4e268287d1cca65d1e726b4e692fa37d706ad6df14f3ee66d8eb45b828348da" }, { "bytes": 7407, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f227313db9eb219a1a6792f524a8b9db8b8b462b3397ffd0c12562e6edff04bc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102168/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102168", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7222-84c5-e4fd93e8c7af" } CgYtybvBuTYUcTTEziPjFL0RVpmlyExGgSMgd7gLRnnfSJ6pGy6VTtDKu/3u2sR0iCe2WLBt2Y1oYQTOk4PxBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CgYtybvBuTYUcTTEziPjFL0RVpmlyExGgSMgd7gLRnnfSJ6pGy6VTtDKu/3u2sR0iCe2WLBt2Y1oYQTOk4PxBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17696,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d087e61d2710dbb131e6ee110b3134b4d0570dcb006ac34838c20fc1b7777219"},{"bytes":7502,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6198172bd9c48ef488443977e69d12182324494a5b12527bc65768d426fd0540"},{"bytes":7201,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"39e04bdcce156f572b5cd69a1ebbd5e69b3bff35cf91d22dc0aa665379f7e13c"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1573b006bddd68c86de925d8fc90a27ae0d17be4968d92d87b7dfcf865fedeb5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"413b5c6163d9ddab9f5651e711527c57e374ffbf532df5b14050cbf0e4c8e31f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fbae7d35b09f09b3faa30d44142897d412b9e6424b743ac8852fb2362862f0e4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102169"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102169
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102169

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
39e04bdcce156f572b5cd69a1ebbd5e69b3bff35cf91d22dc0aa665379f7e13c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102169, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102169" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102169 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102169 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1047 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17696, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d087e61d2710dbb131e6ee110b3134b4d0570dcb006ac34838c20fc1b7777219" }, { "bytes": 7502, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6198172bd9c48ef488443977e69d12182324494a5b12527bc65768d426fd0540" }, { "bytes": 7201, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "39e04bdcce156f572b5cd69a1ebbd5e69b3bff35cf91d22dc0aa665379f7e13c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102169/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102169", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7595-b13b-ab60bc5bf2a0" } L/MbT1JI8lPaR1y14eYqumnquB6B5ek8mnOPB0eTqJxEmTnv5DZPrTrw2YFg7MAts2H8RAgpHPEw+un/J5RVCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: L/MbT1JI8lPaR1y14eYqumnquB6B5ek8mnOPB0eTqJxEmTnv5DZPrTrw2YFg7MAts2H8RAgpHPEw+un/J5RVCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17093,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f71ee203138e61d8bc09f60b9ba0538329bc4a0652cfcb55598d3b9b91d8303a"},{"bytes":6966,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9ec21c4c46000ec87362efa4170bbaf49be3ec300be134fadfb421052fc9606b"},{"bytes":6668,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c317bda84edd4073c652b7f7dda608ce2804d8d5d573c7e800c2f1df288b3874"},{"bytes":2745,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a6d8958d0a015e24cebbe2218a844d47a6a5760817cd7362c9c7dea9d43e7ff5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3153d6d1d9d755b80b444d4993672c491a274d491e107678709a10f43237b17e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c783352e366997b86b480708d4861656632621c60a5c8a958e691e86879c6bbd"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102170"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102170
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102170

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c317bda84edd4073c652b7f7dda608ce2804d8d5d573c7e800c2f1df288b3874

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102170, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102170.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102170" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102170" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102170 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102170 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102170 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102170 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102171

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
085930a651b91dd7519896521f0b1d251aee12c9a884cda0a9b5b3a9af8f1d15

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102171, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102171" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102171 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102171 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17891, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "79258338d9dd5c5008975dbbe0e5af742acea5ae95d043089abd58b7f6c927ee" }, { "bytes": 7654, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ede051030eab5341da61a2ddba8508fbbbe4c36c8ef149c5d67e824f03bd9330" }, { "bytes": 7353, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "085930a651b91dd7519896521f0b1d251aee12c9a884cda0a9b5b3a9af8f1d15" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102171/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102171", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7452-9804-350be940982f" } l9axbiwOIg3sfOPm7GK2liqy6MnxtcFY5t0JRuKTl3NNB8863kLSky+2YEsdgqlZh5Bn/Qa8ugahDvRRwHtNDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: l9axbiwOIg3sfOPm7GK2liqy6MnxtcFY5t0JRuKTl3NNB8863kLSky+2YEsdgqlZh5Bn/Qa8ugahDvRRwHtNDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17642,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2bed7b571ac088516deb20343c89bf7a146702cba3b56560084cdbaf7d439e18"},{"bytes":7448,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4e2444da1e9531328a72a71b9a5352e4a4d63b9080dfa3ecc6f5953c2ad6c819"},{"bytes":7147,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e1a7d20ed60fbe7be4d4811b9981071145aeae6a71da87f8adc449d911dfab4a"},{"bytes":2755,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9a8cae39bf89a13ce8331cafeeb4f0926035679ab606f4029a5a735e2424f5c2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8108f01dfe7db944fbbd66ab99af48faa0ce86bece8cc9ae308c335110f41465"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3d72357f0cb66d30839e9e2a0ddd97c39012b1cad00be8bb7faa71345c0e3e11"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102172"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102172
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102172

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e1a7d20ed60fbe7be4d4811b9981071145aeae6a71da87f8adc449d911dfab4a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102172, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102172" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102172 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102172 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17642, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2bed7b571ac088516deb20343c89bf7a146702cba3b56560084cdbaf7d439e18" }, { "bytes": 7448, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4e2444da1e9531328a72a71b9a5352e4a4d63b9080dfa3ecc6f5953c2ad6c819" }, { "bytes": 7147, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e1a7d20ed60fbe7be4d4811b9981071145aeae6a71da87f8adc449d911dfab4a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102172/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102172", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-72e8-8b14-3d68bc6fa031" } ytIVqtwE/xCKv5xpEtMAHGH9jWI/DvUNJ7gGIblHjKMx9lpqb9uZqf1gwrVY72o7xAukfiUwBWLQa8dBwzZPAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ytIVqtwE/xCKv5xpEtMAHGH9jWI/DvUNJ7gGIblHjKMx9lpqb9uZqf1gwrVY72o7xAukfiUwBWLQa8dBwzZPAw== {"files":[{"bytes":16852,"name":"index.html","sha256":"41719276ccf85f338c45f8d806b92f6f8e80c5532c6d89ed8a592825b074a00a"},{"bytes":6773,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"cdcd5c892c0f948cf81fa725f770746c89ff83784940b022246007f96ed0884f"},{"bytes":6473,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c195231dd59d099f7df6108a65d2b568e1e90eb01c11ea5a5002137c962e7ed1"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b56b4057682b8f11fc88e3dfb1ad0ae0d762b577a9337504f60f6ac9243c51c7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"67be4d64425d3c663a6d577d7c636ef65c30a616c77ef88e37bc18c4d1f06582"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"39a76fd7c1298ca29e5f4a60a949e134558df03d96397342e594041ef0c16e2d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102173"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102173
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102173

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c195231dd59d099f7df6108a65d2b568e1e90eb01c11ea5a5002137c962e7ed1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102173, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102173" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102173 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102173 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16852, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "41719276ccf85f338c45f8d806b92f6f8e80c5532c6d89ed8a592825b074a00a" }, { "bytes": 6773, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cdcd5c892c0f948cf81fa725f770746c89ff83784940b022246007f96ed0884f" }, { "bytes": 6473, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c195231dd59d099f7df6108a65d2b568e1e90eb01c11ea5a5002137c962e7ed1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102173/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102173", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-73b7-a8fe-413ca64d538e" } c0E05WQvhA2oQFa77jIPIHqlQh8ifNhXFJ6kalgECM4fyyko5qEhxsZV3EFP6rIWjvtLduvmrj4T+s8c8+WGCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: c0E05WQvhA2oQFa77jIPIHqlQh8ifNhXFJ6kalgECM4fyyko5qEhxsZV3EFP6rIWjvtLduvmrj4T+s8c8+WGCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17650,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6451769bdd61c6756cfa2b66fa83ed0764820d54dd8e990f25eb96778e3229e0"},{"bytes":7461,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3b6e4f2311b6271e0250f1dcf426afa2f693cd959cfd9193057830c0d23dea2a"},{"bytes":7158,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"aaa539f03907f034b88729424400ee7e95afe0f913ec92af0d3556a700eafc00"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2349b4f94fff23475e6f03d6333c3ef6af77412a040f28c604ff68b31216e8f2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"13e1aece5450e4515dedb902dac7ebb2677f16211e981b401f04c264632047df"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"43699039cf8afd5f52218a2a331771ccd2dcced4ce9738248a0f5cb2a62a44f3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102174"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102174
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102174

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
aaa539f03907f034b88729424400ee7e95afe0f913ec92af0d3556a700eafc00

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102174, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102174" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102174 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102174 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17650, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6451769bdd61c6756cfa2b66fa83ed0764820d54dd8e990f25eb96778e3229e0" }, { "bytes": 7461, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3b6e4f2311b6271e0250f1dcf426afa2f693cd959cfd9193057830c0d23dea2a" }, { "bytes": 7158, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "aaa539f03907f034b88729424400ee7e95afe0f913ec92af0d3556a700eafc00" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102174/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102174", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7001-97ce-ea710f35bb13" } mzGpvHs2Zkf15kcnFK4SnMcMaBfSiyIkb4mOidHf1f6StnCPaKSqrLP3XqAqQw72TD9Az86YbrzlcxRvgsxTAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: mzGpvHs2Zkf15kcnFK4SnMcMaBfSiyIkb4mOidHf1f6StnCPaKSqrLP3XqAqQw72TD9Az86YbrzlcxRvgsxTAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17401,"name":"index.html","sha256":"015d942f544ff88857aa79f964034c46207c2da44bfa180d6b05bb4333eab631"},{"bytes":7255,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e3e7e7fbf42fba5e8059b7935f506e32e38d31674c26eb8a4d765cbac186de17"},{"bytes":6952,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3baf5a4935bfb947f1e5fc9960f58ca2d9a668e06b6afd6bb10e5ec7fed7a9b8"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3b5cc5dd703c4d689a1a9a597a9cc4a476420a89fb8ddf66fbe4d1e8adaeffd8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f9795e0f6729036c0cec0ba36aa38bb084c046f826c0d65f51ee56c58a263599"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d5cf56f9fd92c4e7164236be6e9746c8d58892d1e64849ce93488560319a1df2"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102175"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102175
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102175

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3baf5a4935bfb947f1e5fc9960f58ca2d9a668e06b6afd6bb10e5ec7fed7a9b8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102175, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102175.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102175" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102175" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102175 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102175 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102175 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102175 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102176

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
78fc7a4fcd3e010f51c0420886ca9ba51e53ca20ed364693501fcb6766892bc4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102176, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102176.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102176" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102176" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102176 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102176 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102176 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102176 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102177

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c582dffafd5b82e6c19d709685711db38fe023d2251ca47d766e836b8c1cf960

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102177, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102177" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102177 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102177 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17650, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4e4c1724c9f3a16d15b4c35e691b8c362d608884a6582fc7c6f758ddec16e1d5" }, { "bytes": 7461, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0c8b159f1b7b26660d5c36ff0c61daa64cc5c513d4c43585deef3a0dc1ac4f55" }, { "bytes": 7158, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c582dffafd5b82e6c19d709685711db38fe023d2251ca47d766e836b8c1cf960" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102177/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102177", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-711e-ae34-f9287f216102" } zAj6FO89132GgVasvYK7pYngAjMTjXJhjvSnlJeYjsAUBuJC1ztQP7Xs6LtSJNiNZkgRniacDWgwo796MJb/Ag== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zAj6FO89132GgVasvYK7pYngAjMTjXJhjvSnlJeYjsAUBuJC1ztQP7Xs6LtSJNiNZkgRniacDWgwo796MJb/Ag== {"files":[{"bytes":17401,"name":"index.html","sha256":"deaeb820575dc12ca4ab7e03896fc8577ef33226337fda1b9c3ec36602de2782"},{"bytes":7255,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"47af1d9185d68b194c4d0ec5071e14a2aef976a3630b5a7547b96ac1394533b5"},{"bytes":6952,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f90d8aed0b4f8a64eb49c566ee4bf64c496944fec947b6cae3f5ec12b872a7da"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ef9b3d847e6abb0080bd6c0170d7164d864d8384e7891b346ef7023f1d6fdbec"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f753167615a58f26f2539bbec38016f3471ed190d0063c33f6306ed2b594456b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d95d5aff89414ab146d4dcff28803e9cf5117e753da223a3ca014126bc1dc294"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102178"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102178
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102178

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f90d8aed0b4f8a64eb49c566ee4bf64c496944fec947b6cae3f5ec12b872a7da

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102178, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102178" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102178 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102178 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17401, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "deaeb820575dc12ca4ab7e03896fc8577ef33226337fda1b9c3ec36602de2782" }, { "bytes": 7255, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "47af1d9185d68b194c4d0ec5071e14a2aef976a3630b5a7547b96ac1394533b5" }, { "bytes": 6952, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f90d8aed0b4f8a64eb49c566ee4bf64c496944fec947b6cae3f5ec12b872a7da" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102178/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102178", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7696-9c71-09e4cd7d55da" } yseSNnQOIqAHyL8gXnztCjYK8KZmDi7dlaYKoWpffdv06n9kNjx44m7dQwP+QcBU2jPLqVIz6Zc707Rkm7qVAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: yseSNnQOIqAHyL8gXnztCjYK8KZmDi7dlaYKoWpffdv06n9kNjx44m7dQwP+QcBU2jPLqVIz6Zc707Rkm7qVAw== {"files":[{"bytes":16612,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ba75784dcb504953cd7be592aef4e8f3599a9f0b3ec34bf149a0e0e465276429"},{"bytes":6629,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9dbb477152da1b86f1ec8988758bb0f916c54c256cbaf304a79f0e488ca0c6f7"},{"bytes":6301,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5abf99fc8faf8a8e33ab156689ddaa04a296a35a1a1302afb3b019d71f335b66"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4c9c563d8e9c90a969c712ad74eb2c4dc1ead8387bd88d02197a95970835842e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ad99bb1bcd81802d82140800cb84f4b70afcbe1ea82d2ad53baa6081eb3f43d0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"64796b212af5d19e7684a4a5caf3c501e872b17de15c365473cee71496e445cb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102179"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102179
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102179

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
5abf99fc8faf8a8e33ab156689ddaa04a296a35a1a1302afb3b019d71f335b66

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102179, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102179" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102179 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102179 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 885 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16612, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ba75784dcb504953cd7be592aef4e8f3599a9f0b3ec34bf149a0e0e465276429" }, { "bytes": 6629, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9dbb477152da1b86f1ec8988758bb0f916c54c256cbaf304a79f0e488ca0c6f7" }, { "bytes": 6301, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5abf99fc8faf8a8e33ab156689ddaa04a296a35a1a1302afb3b019d71f335b66" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102179/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102179", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-712d-a7a2-1fe0d932382c" } xc5mfpDmzD2A7eZadNCtLOoBnW6LLNIZMllOl6AR610zNC+Wms9zEcAAM5kmFJX1hoL8VxLhoe7CQgFBNIVaAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xc5mfpDmzD2A7eZadNCtLOoBnW6LLNIZMllOl6AR610zNC+Wms9zEcAAM5kmFJX1hoL8VxLhoe7CQgFBNIVaAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17404,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ac52ef6ac77bae83d86b897f1e00ba1061be6943a4f85a4fdd1d84f7b5f74e7f"},{"bytes":7311,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c951b20d53e7848de4d81d1dc0e8561fde656db82d2b208bf77f7404a4b77d9c"},{"bytes":6980,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"00df6bfbf3b27414f17a963354901887dbb29ec2f8f74f4d9370ce7b6225846d"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"278cdaf79b73033180ba36114be56df903b7e7ad92524703465b53456fe2feda"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a8ecb5ac11a1981e6088e783197b4c681a7e89d14a65d2011ff2d60a7da53ee9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f8b6c8203ab70fe534edf2e29ba6956e5a75cae787668d35811b1326853ba5ca"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102180"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102180
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102180

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
00df6bfbf3b27414f17a963354901887dbb29ec2f8f74f4d9370ce7b6225846d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102180, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102180" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102180 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102180 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 990 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17404, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ac52ef6ac77bae83d86b897f1e00ba1061be6943a4f85a4fdd1d84f7b5f74e7f" }, { "bytes": 7311, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c951b20d53e7848de4d81d1dc0e8561fde656db82d2b208bf77f7404a4b77d9c" }, { "bytes": 6980, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "00df6bfbf3b27414f17a963354901887dbb29ec2f8f74f4d9370ce7b6225846d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102180/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102180", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7c45-a3c3-90059c10c058" } 9g1gRw8a6SUL4eSWvI7rttZAAu/JDJBj081NpSwgqd7wxDz3K3f849tkBCJg72p9mVYqZYiAz/sPpedJuWuZAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 9g1gRw8a6SUL4eSWvI7rttZAAu/JDJBj081NpSwgqd7wxDz3K3f849tkBCJg72p9mVYqZYiAz/sPpedJuWuZAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17155,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d49d437d615e589f72f550889c895258e3abdf668a054eb98c57b2ca9f0549f3"},{"bytes":7105,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9e19a9f956ec14c122581d2b9c821036de4de619f966d356b920260a2de8b8da"},{"bytes":6774,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8173d5bcc7cd263e15e10d945a74932f26ae94af57b25d44df17b23bb2b71220"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3b3f0380c150b354a8cdfc6770db2fc33d8bf355780b9d82b5961ec68eb75fb5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f6ea811b204227d247fbfdc23aa96bff63223bf0fc2235c10d6d0b50e32aace5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a15fb26250e602f3e9abf71d4a8b2c00ff17e30a805e1fdbfc0652f06072a1ed"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102181"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102181
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102181

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
8173d5bcc7cd263e15e10d945a74932f26ae94af57b25d44df17b23bb2b71220

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102181, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102181.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102181" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102181" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102181 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102181 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102181 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102181 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102182

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4b65730ea9006564e8164a645ce0fb313665a2aa57697b1242be5b3e5aa8082a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102182, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102182" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102182 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102182 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 885 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16613, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ad9d9cd21d7241e4a093ccb8367f4e9fe7ff1c337157f9e0edae2967d986a5dc" }, { "bytes": 6630, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cb9bbda1b50192a224ca0893b29deb6808120379ccc52458387d25c13cfe44c7" }, { "bytes": 6302, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4b65730ea9006564e8164a645ce0fb313665a2aa57697b1242be5b3e5aa8082a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102182/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102182", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-752a-8ca8-829cc86102d4" } pPTX9JnZOyjHqgKx5/uSlh2VQut05Gxirfl2rqxzLVBgQF4wfcCyTKt7t0Akpxe2OEf+3ggTlCw/nUHOlns/AA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: pPTX9JnZOyjHqgKx5/uSlh2VQut05Gxirfl2rqxzLVBgQF4wfcCyTKt7t0Akpxe2OEf+3ggTlCw/nUHOlns/AA== {"files":[{"bytes":17405,"name":"index.html","sha256":"632766653e2d2535fe3922a484b524fa20673b8ec032d9260d5c09053fd3c289"},{"bytes":7312,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"adc49dc69a0f52ac36947a7fd7a0d40c4cacde3c4ad4310eec0ee2bf4599f3c2"},{"bytes":6981,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"91aace8c182be060ed3445aa4178e28b1c26ce42104bf9a79635af24a222ce92"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6e1cb5ddf8fbf7902374fd92f5293709feef78068cdebda78d7d96c9c664205d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3408762bffbc31cad5d0b888d3362835de49e571cee2875678eed1d667c12598"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"84ad3c667bb827c0f6edc5f13ee18f22536c8b8c6e74bc4b3b85f5192ddd379c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102183"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102183
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102183

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
91aace8c182be060ed3445aa4178e28b1c26ce42104bf9a79635af24a222ce92

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102183, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102183" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102183 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102183 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 990 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17405, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "632766653e2d2535fe3922a484b524fa20673b8ec032d9260d5c09053fd3c289" }, { "bytes": 7312, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "adc49dc69a0f52ac36947a7fd7a0d40c4cacde3c4ad4310eec0ee2bf4599f3c2" }, { "bytes": 6981, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "91aace8c182be060ed3445aa4178e28b1c26ce42104bf9a79635af24a222ce92" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102183/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102183", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-734e-832a-164cea289e7f" } vc0AaAe00SYbnOnv40rJ4x89aRCDAFivAezd24oXBJBORHLN6lWOO4891tSO4SMVIU2y2It8+tgNs/5+7gVTBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vc0AaAe00SYbnOnv40rJ4x89aRCDAFivAezd24oXBJBORHLN6lWOO4891tSO4SMVIU2y2It8+tgNs/5+7gVTBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17156,"name":"index.html","sha256":"10a10e497458f9230b1a6d13df10757d0a1adfce889c0b643909100d969239a2"},{"bytes":7106,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"921e0441b8006058d3c6d75dc66b23f13d797436289e81404b9cc14f8b9a3f61"},{"bytes":6775,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2310bf1ce70c4c4612faa45c419b337f4f869a3ca435e541c7783528e56660fa"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d81fa6ced158efb6e2bd9b94ae45c47cc86d2a5c3bc5dbbd8df84b2dc96c3b3f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4634a12e49f6c41656c9a91caeb124ab4c99a98c0659a7b827cd0bae3e0c9b29"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1753c94b70d4944b0c1db92e368272874b744fd9ef134b8e8e26f46fa05cd621"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102184"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102184
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102184

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
2310bf1ce70c4c4612faa45c419b337f4f869a3ca435e541c7783528e56660fa

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102184, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102184" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102184 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102184 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 956 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17156, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "10a10e497458f9230b1a6d13df10757d0a1adfce889c0b643909100d969239a2" }, { "bytes": 7106, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "921e0441b8006058d3c6d75dc66b23f13d797436289e81404b9cc14f8b9a3f61" }, { "bytes": 6775, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2310bf1ce70c4c4612faa45c419b337f4f869a3ca435e541c7783528e56660fa" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102184/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102184", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7483-a180-6b7e96f94679" } iKeaXZI6PnUbUgVLBkbtacRupcysj9sx7mIiMxYDF7YOAoOEKtFoj/K0V786eZX/cR0n78dI2JXfwqFUIAEuBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: iKeaXZI6PnUbUgVLBkbtacRupcysj9sx7mIiMxYDF7YOAoOEKtFoj/K0V786eZX/cR0n78dI2JXfwqFUIAEuBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16617,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e1bdb18b39f71c5c3c4caf80a4cf43a53b6ada9190251e37e1deb56df2390f31"},{"bytes":6634,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"adeec10bf8fed86df5ea5065a39ab814712f960cc09ed2f5aa7dd8462d79e46b"},{"bytes":6306,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2638a63cad12b3abb2c8c7a0af9ce96edbc697bb8541e790f7acacc7ee25a4a1"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"49c0704e5f9f4bf763dadf70403732af9b34d08cf7d50aacb83a99938b1e777b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"15b5ed2f2dde30223b891d94f24c0fae20f704c46da4c4483361b20197ee4826"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"bcf86a4848d9bc534f0c4ce2cd966180fa91fea49fcbd1914e487df1fd667ab7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102185"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102185
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102185

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
2638a63cad12b3abb2c8c7a0af9ce96edbc697bb8541e790f7acacc7ee25a4a1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102185, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102185.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102185" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102185" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102185 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102185 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102185 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102185 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102186

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
666d26cb2ed7a7965a90b2d07a1edc7374cc61346bf65cb6c4f82698c6947d19

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102186, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102186.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102186" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102186" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102186 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102186 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102186 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102186 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102187

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
25200847fbe049ffe0d2e2ddeb10dff79b797b05852eb07023d39c73e9475aab

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102187, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102187" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102187 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102187 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 956 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17160, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a445acc5faeff51d8439eb62d635e80c5044746fb22e9c1e833923418d200804" }, { "bytes": 7110, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "134aba388898f694492ac6d0e446a27e65458ba67daa9d0b591e02be199865e5" }, { "bytes": 6779, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "25200847fbe049ffe0d2e2ddeb10dff79b797b05852eb07023d39c73e9475aab" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102187/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102187", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7eda-863c-7c43e83fe57e" } 1wVLXRtPi3TVqZnZWMROQa3UFBD1WTgcU1hIQJMwSIKsrH/pRWYfBy9vanQU2yKucgoda2lsvUwAEoEva4TGAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 1wVLXRtPi3TVqZnZWMROQa3UFBD1WTgcU1hIQJMwSIKsrH/pRWYfBy9vanQU2yKucgoda2lsvUwAEoEva4TGAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16801,"name":"index.html","sha256":"84873dd91cf176408d6c92818acb60335c45f6d59a70b457f5640bf16b54f00c"},{"bytes":6786,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4a4696b141531b2a4daf95dcaeba6f72793adcf5cdc6f8b238b7e494cf5bfc78"},{"bytes":6468,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b416111ac0f248eef5f331b9640e7679373ca16d46c81b856e18ec7a921c3b1f"},{"bytes":2797,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4be00547be11f7d4f7579ced73b7601c3362ff668d37bcaf3d9b49a689bb29d3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ce1b6e1a538478751041d7244f46e496b6efb7dbcb2b3f24a45b1d9505ae95f1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8d37c0355a7d643379dfbcbf05fff5d079c8ded43045f9b660f5dd38a01702b5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102188"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102188
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102188

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
b416111ac0f248eef5f331b9640e7679373ca16d46c81b856e18ec7a921c3b1f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102188, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102188" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102188 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102188 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 925 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16801, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "84873dd91cf176408d6c92818acb60335c45f6d59a70b457f5640bf16b54f00c" }, { "bytes": 6786, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4a4696b141531b2a4daf95dcaeba6f72793adcf5cdc6f8b238b7e494cf5bfc78" }, { "bytes": 6468, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b416111ac0f248eef5f331b9640e7679373ca16d46c81b856e18ec7a921c3b1f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102188/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102188", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7188-a998-6f1388a4e946" } +K+3dN4LlLyjQ6PO+SAJDIHM4MHWtwU/econOpqpyvRKmsP891Mc8fdLOxgnpmAICFT9jJqmKg1eGQGfEuNtAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +K+3dN4LlLyjQ6PO+SAJDIHM4MHWtwU/econOpqpyvRKmsP891Mc8fdLOxgnpmAICFT9jJqmKg1eGQGfEuNtAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17593,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d7bbb18ec257c60a31178296893e74f56d53a7b9eab2942c8286d3fc8dbc29dd"},{"bytes":7468,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"01d6672c077c6c6635cc2750080104a45bf3e611820b3e6209e4af40e0d59e30"},{"bytes":7147,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"399e780ae2d51eb66f1afc44d5760ced06d6c81ede15eeb087ddf629d77c2b38"},{"bytes":2807,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6151cbbf484360ae5e36398712a0c9414e65e228ea69459a10bb353edf3515e9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"196a6bd14599ad242d4af2e43a4fc4007010f1ca2471ea7c21d1a295da6ff0fb"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6851f74851a8d7f147b525a0835e389b109de2f2610df6562f35e5ea783720a7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102189"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102189
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102189

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
399e780ae2d51eb66f1afc44d5760ced06d6c81ede15eeb087ddf629d77c2b38

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102189, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102189" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102189 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102189 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1030 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17593, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d7bbb18ec257c60a31178296893e74f56d53a7b9eab2942c8286d3fc8dbc29dd" }, { "bytes": 7468, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "01d6672c077c6c6635cc2750080104a45bf3e611820b3e6209e4af40e0d59e30" }, { "bytes": 7147, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "399e780ae2d51eb66f1afc44d5760ced06d6c81ede15eeb087ddf629d77c2b38" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102189/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102189", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7a88-8861-ba3a97e11568" } mFf9Wzek+XbjR7ofCHR8+6olrNvJOBGFsOWhY0MFYFRXB9tf3iEBaK9V4VEMgfyL/AN63ByRSzRlrMVwTKXCCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: mFf9Wzek+XbjR7ofCHR8+6olrNvJOBGFsOWhY0MFYFRXB9tf3iEBaK9V4VEMgfyL/AN63ByRSzRlrMVwTKXCCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17344,"name":"index.html","sha256":"177b042c7fd6469539ddc2f0a95660539478884c758bb9f1af5f5ab9f5caf0ec"},{"bytes":7262,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"50d67cd70b2b0a7b8a35ed32e85c15c49da262b73750fe010c367fb86edccb1e"},{"bytes":6941,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2baa9407ada376fdf8a1e68f24aa0692c34b88bc599132cb3690ba216f03950d"},{"bytes":2806,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e812ce5c7be2b445895f046a4694189775fbfdca73fb57f8d3ab6cdf7639f21d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e291add95fdb51c0e7437a209e7075392264ca61d04d3e8225bb672d021651f2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"037b484c01c3285fc2a338ed7c8eb7a1f67f3736b9b3cf9c27461bd34e429c3c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102190"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102190
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102190

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
2baa9407ada376fdf8a1e68f24aa0692c34b88bc599132cb3690ba216f03950d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0025]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102190, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102190" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102190 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102190 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17344, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "177b042c7fd6469539ddc2f0a95660539478884c758bb9f1af5f5ab9f5caf0ec" }, { "bytes": 7262, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "50d67cd70b2b0a7b8a35ed32e85c15c49da262b73750fe010c367fb86edccb1e" }, { "bytes": 6941, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2baa9407ada376fdf8a1e68f24aa0692c34b88bc599132cb3690ba216f03950d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102190/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102190", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ab5-8268-7310e390f77e" } tfhB+1TGHND9UozQ9UAXMChIyJaPrqxi5jIAVnyMfQFHpfPAo43CvUQpZE8DT2qIuCSsJRoweSU7hFqf7pvmCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tfhB+1TGHND9UozQ9UAXMChIyJaPrqxi5jIAVnyMfQFHpfPAo43CvUQpZE8DT2qIuCSsJRoweSU7hFqf7pvmCg== {"files":[{"bytes":16747,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f0c08e885de9ca01d471b96bc83c54dd9fb6402f98772aff00311fd0a2efacc9"},{"bytes":6732,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b8f2d9235eec4babeead284357c86c00105693c8e00ecdb228ca28eba27686c9"},{"bytes":6414,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"43feace779fc483594d3067f85b21544292d07e155f266634f70ac96a517cc6f"},{"bytes":2797,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e4530bb9959e603c100316e695743f47af46b4013d1a3b76cbb082deb80579de"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e2c7494f5ddad891c21ae33d614a6dbe9c4e97af71ac3e6c4d2496c714a81033"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"99a9593a8651be873fbf8e0444b12ec1f2be142668785fb51cb4609db695a417"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102191"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102191
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102191

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
43feace779fc483594d3067f85b21544292d07e155f266634f70ac96a517cc6f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102191, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102191.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102191" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102191" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102191 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102191 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102191 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102191 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102192

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
722edf94fcb2beb647d6a3f7a31e499290a39fa3aaf28d975cffbada7654358c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102192, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102192" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102192 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102192 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1015 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17539, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3f589b49f96ec7b02bd35275f2e6d4cd84d0e23d915f2cec006bb7097d4001a3" }, { "bytes": 7414, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3318523f8fae5191f1a116e4032cfeacea573059ceaf02edda709eed6c42486b" }, { "bytes": 7093, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "722edf94fcb2beb647d6a3f7a31e499290a39fa3aaf28d975cffbada7654358c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102192/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102192", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-74d1-b973-1ce2167cf4d3" } YoZka97/Oi0fkRQvtXKf0bDDsivmCQM0+A9l6mXQ6g0QW64ErRjO23iRh0Ou8jm9B+RJfWUkMJjjNDEVg3HzBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: YoZka97/Oi0fkRQvtXKf0bDDsivmCQM0+A9l6mXQ6g0QW64ErRjO23iRh0Ou8jm9B+RJfWUkMJjjNDEVg3HzBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17290,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7d77a9f961b2e3f914fb86da457ea3f538afa6398190b90fb8a9e701c958029c"},{"bytes":7208,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"846ef016aee4494ef5236c74d001c12697b4cfa73b6a24961878a7632feb1aba"},{"bytes":6887,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b748ee540fc17b03e89033ac2a2915a210e051341a4604328ef9a19ab874f745"},{"bytes":2806,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4dbf8e372ce3df8991e5b052868ac6113acf771ac1ad43b4a38e7f5d2d691ffd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6a76c88db1092ce7d48d82bfc16a12c276179455879d6e46be6ea117d217bf6c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"48681dc40796be085147f07ea6b069744a31349a4e4b5047c5e12778618fe093"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102193"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102193
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102193

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
b748ee540fc17b03e89033ac2a2915a210e051341a4604328ef9a19ab874f745

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0025]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102193, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102193" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102193 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102193 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 981 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17290, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7d77a9f961b2e3f914fb86da457ea3f538afa6398190b90fb8a9e701c958029c" }, { "bytes": 7208, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "846ef016aee4494ef5236c74d001c12697b4cfa73b6a24961878a7632feb1aba" }, { "bytes": 6887, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b748ee540fc17b03e89033ac2a2915a210e051341a4604328ef9a19ab874f745" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102193/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102193", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7314-a0a6-c4f117103bda" } oAzipLj8y4aGTh20pGXMt1ZDAmgmz4p7EgPd7Brs/TQU9lgLbW6vGt5Mlp0LV0febZlceblmaRk5TW5Lq3EtBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: oAzipLj8y4aGTh20pGXMt1ZDAmgmz4p7EgPd7Brs/TQU9lgLbW6vGt5Mlp0LV0febZlceblmaRk5TW5Lq3EtBw== {"files":[{"bytes":16506,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f941a004cc3da96c8c5801848b0e7e985fffa97e8fb0e62b2897c48680d5694f"},{"bytes":6539,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"66140b32d798474674edb94986126ba7465ef6a56f51485c65a1d59589baed8b"},{"bytes":6219,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a82bd4ac81e54e68874b6b50c754c6c7c009fc12e11761ce40986b4ce458ec16"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"259557748163f58a46b9073e3341a99c11a491e4989ebc1521383c733cd08379"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1af293fadf8e351b780f53f17279f63661ccdf17f35944bc47ed0a7fcf15ca7e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"944abef4c86e30013fc1cc6e1cfae42805e2be0f458dc3651c78f3181867d5b3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102194"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102194
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102194

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a82bd4ac81e54e68874b6b50c754c6c7c009fc12e11761ce40986b4ce458ec16

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102194, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102194" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102194 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102194 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 873 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16506, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f941a004cc3da96c8c5801848b0e7e985fffa97e8fb0e62b2897c48680d5694f" }, { "bytes": 6539, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "66140b32d798474674edb94986126ba7465ef6a56f51485c65a1d59589baed8b" }, { "bytes": 6219, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a82bd4ac81e54e68874b6b50c754c6c7c009fc12e11761ce40986b4ce458ec16" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102194/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102194", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7dd4-8515-180b7a5037ba" } F9t31y+RI+zPpiSrIxO4MhtbuGYyfdkwN0LKF2fmXZwmq8UmeajHQssac+pmVccQu000SCVW9032FEwTH2y2Cw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: F9t31y+RI+zPpiSrIxO4MhtbuGYyfdkwN0LKF2fmXZwmq8UmeajHQssac+pmVccQu000SCVW9032FEwTH2y2Cw== {"files":[{"bytes":17298,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dede46a46cac2f6674da262f4d78c0f42635e2afa43aad275ce317e903286fbe"},{"bytes":7221,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5f4a8769ad97bf753ac5ed6965f5994500f80216a25739202fa7a9902a1c85f8"},{"bytes":6898,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ab4e72bd9e103bb5314913440e2cdf599d555a8b596073ccedd7f5b18a8df645"},{"bytes":2819,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"da7e5fcbd373eea0d30dcae9b6870419cb176eb850d087d8fba2ae8c3da4cd58"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"43e21611cd3a337463bddc7e99f76f2d5fd7a3577cf8251f9e36371b2266298a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4a058115f3463296030eca0d465d8f26c5196a9afe9a845a69b86ba1ad1a00ba"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102195"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102195
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102195

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
ab4e72bd9e103bb5314913440e2cdf599d555a8b596073ccedd7f5b18a8df645

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102195, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102195" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102195 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102195 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 978 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17298, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "dede46a46cac2f6674da262f4d78c0f42635e2afa43aad275ce317e903286fbe" }, { "bytes": 7221, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5f4a8769ad97bf753ac5ed6965f5994500f80216a25739202fa7a9902a1c85f8" }, { "bytes": 6898, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ab4e72bd9e103bb5314913440e2cdf599d555a8b596073ccedd7f5b18a8df645" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102195/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102195", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7a11-9012-7e6d659c73f1" } ZkQRryHniXLzgyysAx/LdWqfaWJWmZwb2f1mknALp5+/bm6pAyPdDQW9klgjv3x20yuIl1+C1KS50sD6HpZlDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ZkQRryHniXLzgyysAx/LdWqfaWJWmZwb2f1mknALp5+/bm6pAyPdDQW9klgjv3x20yuIl1+C1KS50sD6HpZlDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17049,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a07d573d151121171b197a119a850faee951a636bd08d9ff06f4a720584721a0"},{"bytes":7015,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2dc5f669139ac11acbf12e4e9240fd5b508a3becdd4ded63b04a3458c4d14ef6"},{"bytes":6692,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0b30ff152eb2dbd4d9cab0a98f93930060932ecf7e2465cf24ac1f933b0645f7"},{"bytes":2819,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6722902f83759bb6c1899017f6c6a46005c788493e8701a4c79e8b8365b7e685"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5ab83175d0edf43626fc491a89b2336cb57b31bf604e5da6725e1ffb1c673f92"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b20674495253211fda37657b216ef5142fe7640463ab8b202fa5355014c3188a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102196"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102196
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102196

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0b30ff152eb2dbd4d9cab0a98f93930060932ecf7e2465cf24ac1f933b0645f7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102196, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102196.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102196" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102196" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102196 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102196 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102196 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102196 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102197

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c5f0f7655322975cbd4776ca4be1732924796bc015b6d67df085a6782d2ff4be

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102197, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102197" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102197 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102197 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 873 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16506, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1b2fe0514864a15be1e4b9eced90579b79fcd4d1bb7685b2b2008ba8412186db" }, { "bytes": 6539, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0f751e8ed7e4d0c2442d70620c04097eea362c841d260de396a7f7321b408bdd" }, { "bytes": 6219, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c5f0f7655322975cbd4776ca4be1732924796bc015b6d67df085a6782d2ff4be" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102197/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102197", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7408-8d18-1a673b224eec" } uueQEivNRpJLxRUdFfy4TcoLcKrRleIUTDqoWL8kbGXbwG/bT+p9E5c6LdJDYnzUjIBmWzzBuIdwMgEoR3QxCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: uueQEivNRpJLxRUdFfy4TcoLcKrRleIUTDqoWL8kbGXbwG/bT+p9E5c6LdJDYnzUjIBmWzzBuIdwMgEoR3QxCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17298,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3d3d3da6bb0b2c92855e7bdf3da142ba1dafbfc84b23be3a676ddda3bb04996c"},{"bytes":7221,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0ef260184debee727c308f0294d136d4f7fd57ee68e5b807923ecd43a3bc99e2"},{"bytes":6898,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0beffcfdeb7538115ed22a9b32d506a0b2c4aba7dd72f26207c33e392bb1ba85"},{"bytes":2819,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c058e29f16a665a7f10205a5b2ac6e8fd399639f274bcf5942a6887f92341b83"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b56d124f64cf6091ea01b2ec86dbd13a03659005d2302a6741e3f071636cba31"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2ca4f45d3e108b027c83d5d244bea54cf36c4e9a1493485d71ddcdb03960fe71"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102198"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102198
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102198

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0beffcfdeb7538115ed22a9b32d506a0b2c4aba7dd72f26207c33e392bb1ba85

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102198, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102198" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102198 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102198 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 978 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17298, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3d3d3da6bb0b2c92855e7bdf3da142ba1dafbfc84b23be3a676ddda3bb04996c" }, { "bytes": 7221, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0ef260184debee727c308f0294d136d4f7fd57ee68e5b807923ecd43a3bc99e2" }, { "bytes": 6898, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0beffcfdeb7538115ed22a9b32d506a0b2c4aba7dd72f26207c33e392bb1ba85" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102198/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102198", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-75da-a9c7-be9b256dc05d" } 53u7TedHkHgv4934hmOe/uCNVuHCkniugWPBNv1c4y9GwPTMrM7Z+KoMDnpm/P+wsFhWvrQlNLSFMa40I3AmCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 53u7TedHkHgv4934hmOe/uCNVuHCkniugWPBNv1c4y9GwPTMrM7Z+KoMDnpm/P+wsFhWvrQlNLSFMa40I3AmCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17049,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9b77b522b78e8b06893a453242eb29f3e30002638bc07bf942484c916d01f330"},{"bytes":7015,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0a5123067a2fdb58f594f789e89f90aaf481b605c2163141dad14f5a1b897a2a"},{"bytes":6692,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"73ddecea67746e52d8859c2b41bf3a1d95d191ff6f3f0013b1294ec65840c7ee"},{"bytes":2819,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"dc0ebd335d8e2b99a1e2748be651d5e1dcee8fa0e9b68924c352bd61a444b897"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"13be1d7bb33d4c2e1d69d481efd87c167ffd27593ac4921ba62cfb89582ef407"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1dd2f3b124b5c8440fb8ea312edc45ce3bf7afe2f82e0e4d770c04ed1dab1803"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102199"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102199
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102199

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
73ddecea67746e52d8859c2b41bf3a1d95d191ff6f3f0013b1294ec65840c7ee

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102199, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102199" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102199 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102199 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 944 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17049, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9b77b522b78e8b06893a453242eb29f3e30002638bc07bf942484c916d01f330" }, { "bytes": 7015, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0a5123067a2fdb58f594f789e89f90aaf481b605c2163141dad14f5a1b897a2a" }, { "bytes": 6692, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "73ddecea67746e52d8859c2b41bf3a1d95d191ff6f3f0013b1294ec65840c7ee" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102199/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102199", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ac8-b060-e887dbaebaae" } 3FOC/DetFLmwjT2w07RW5uEpcN4xdRTXt7eIQRip711P6J7AZDMjqx3vHE8ZuQ7ZszMnkarhIYuWAzqpwQSqCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 3FOC/DetFLmwjT2w07RW5uEpcN4xdRTXt7eIQRip711P6J7AZDMjqx3vHE8ZuQ7ZszMnkarhIYuWAzqpwQSqCw== {"files":[{"bytes":16820,"name":"index.html","sha256":"384499cea6af945c150e0e5eaf00d90a3e30283bed44ff6ae111ea578e08a624"},{"bytes":6751,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"490c4912134874494a56dee792d933d91fd776764236adf4ba9ebc475af036c6"},{"bytes":6450,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"99f446bdfd372c168190a6b72be8c39d69459585d93f106f06833f69afea76be"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cefd948af0315524e82ce71084266ff2aaf9ef7020820368fa6fcf377faa507f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"28854186e7fc26063f77c2c61ccbb35e3abbfdaa390c9b84532d5ba3284896b2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e896be141d80e12321c49f9e413cb49ca4118a9845eb3df4c971e0e4371b4c98"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102200"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102200
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102200

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
99f446bdfd372c168190a6b72be8c39d69459585d93f106f06833f69afea76be

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102200, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102200" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102200 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102200 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16820, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "384499cea6af945c150e0e5eaf00d90a3e30283bed44ff6ae111ea578e08a624" }, { "bytes": 6751, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "490c4912134874494a56dee792d933d91fd776764236adf4ba9ebc475af036c6" }, { "bytes": 6450, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "99f446bdfd372c168190a6b72be8c39d69459585d93f106f06833f69afea76be" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102200/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102200", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-77c4-a665-3ab7d86ad816" } j2GRPGcG+zFxNqQGsqtL3gexglsgwBrL/BAcRQ7y4GQIeEobfIO8ncDmCaXGcCi3PvayOD22iSaDRUHuS/oiCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: j2GRPGcG+zFxNqQGsqtL3gexglsgwBrL/BAcRQ7y4GQIeEobfIO8ncDmCaXGcCi3PvayOD22iSaDRUHuS/oiCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17618,"name":"index.html","sha256":"27195ca31f6417f6276c0524498306176c1362dd40ec9b3d98c3e3ff7654e02d"},{"bytes":7439,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"615cffec56f60e781b9ae52fce896b62c85dd5ea0c0eed77d9c0f30a3f15ae50"},{"bytes":7135,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3949d4a69e81b3d49c7b067917044e132dfda22371c754428f940aedbe5f7880"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b4d0e38cfc21ce8e1ebb5e1be8755b33b7b353f764d56ff870e7420532873fe9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9ee3f4ee2ceb9d741788cd375cf1dcb568f3d05970d5172825fe4e934a474f94"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0bb5f07994a32bfdb2fee5d8bfcd6dd8ce19d10263eae534a401522ab0778671"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102201"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102201
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102201

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3949d4a69e81b3d49c7b067917044e132dfda22371c754428f940aedbe5f7880

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102201, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102201.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102201" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102201" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102201 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102201 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102201 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102201 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102202

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
ee5551789c4ad46bb5a0a9728750c765065015592c7ff0bc17713bf2bd9f6ea5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102202, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102202" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102202 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102202 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17369, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "9c003f8981568262dcc939841fa389caccd8030ab0bd9f064acca855ce8b2140" }, { "bytes": 7233, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "afbdf1e3b142d160e448986d630433cd4c6fc0ce199284b57177c411c9966270" }, { "bytes": 6929, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ee5551789c4ad46bb5a0a9728750c765065015592c7ff0bc17713bf2bd9f6ea5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102202/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102202", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-71d6-8942-81cb92853697" } gjttl0vZ3M397Nja7hNFWpxZ4QosvRuUi3t6/zyvHPr8RsseC12paMT0PtqSLc+sJO3SsJWsp9M3yrkd0aLVCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: gjttl0vZ3M397Nja7hNFWpxZ4QosvRuUi3t6/zyvHPr8RsseC12paMT0PtqSLc+sJO3SsJWsp9M3yrkd0aLVCA== {"files":[{"bytes":16821,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dd747cd149e99ddb38fed10e74c705c6726293edb8116863f5cd810ee7a54312"},{"bytes":6752,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"912910230e8fe5f17ea35b041a752a383e08a589edc1cdc3848bc59fa46500da"},{"bytes":6451,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"15228da7507f20dab400165c6d1ff10e2b6a079f55b838b6171e724d9a9d7126"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5fb43961bb5c70d7d4b5be3b6716c8469750e6d211865ea4940118ffb6b437af"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7b456e9fa7a78370a78f011d256c777b8a0bddca0f7196cb03ad0a9b5afbbfbc"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"269d235901bc6bf2ceb6e1fbbaa9ca213a49152c62d7835b513a4034e3e89790"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102203"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102203
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102203

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
15228da7507f20dab400165c6d1ff10e2b6a079f55b838b6171e724d9a9d7126

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102203, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102203" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102203 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102203 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16821, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "dd747cd149e99ddb38fed10e74c705c6726293edb8116863f5cd810ee7a54312" }, { "bytes": 6752, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "912910230e8fe5f17ea35b041a752a383e08a589edc1cdc3848bc59fa46500da" }, { "bytes": 6451, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "15228da7507f20dab400165c6d1ff10e2b6a079f55b838b6171e724d9a9d7126" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102203/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102203", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-78a4-aa92-20fc7d3a676b" } kfb4h5P3oXvTJziCrLRgc2z9CVD1+eynHewMEo5jX3BNoN5AyR4j5ho3WKuEizOOBjmaP+2ubMNLc2TQ/jIkBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: kfb4h5P3oXvTJziCrLRgc2z9CVD1+eynHewMEo5jX3BNoN5AyR4j5ho3WKuEizOOBjmaP+2ubMNLc2TQ/jIkBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17619,"name":"index.html","sha256":"39a6b23311b0428f22a0cf1c46ff472a37adb14abdabb256e1dacae7f02ebc62"},{"bytes":7440,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d6cac86dae72635ac0dc74649a8f7b50ce68411f9f37a5d94aabc7c5715c0109"},{"bytes":7136,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"aa272722ca345ecc27375502c8b713ed0dc67795cf27d6453ad1da30fb472d50"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"641216814932bf5907359f2d1a003f71bfbd245b8bdc988b2ac85dd76497d67c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"117e95d3d8cc84335a6e1659b6c8a4f2618f4b9db362395f5481bdf2f78cd437"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d1a822417ab415a990a1e8f1e01aecbba2c0e1f4c49ed654c4df4f7ddc96a4f1"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102204"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102204
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102204

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
aa272722ca345ecc27375502c8b713ed0dc67795cf27d6453ad1da30fb472d50

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102204, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102204" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102204 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102204 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1023 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17619, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "39a6b23311b0428f22a0cf1c46ff472a37adb14abdabb256e1dacae7f02ebc62" }, { "bytes": 7440, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d6cac86dae72635ac0dc74649a8f7b50ce68411f9f37a5d94aabc7c5715c0109" }, { "bytes": 7136, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "aa272722ca345ecc27375502c8b713ed0dc67795cf27d6453ad1da30fb472d50" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102204/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102204", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-77da-8133-157b538d7b17" } vPffbK2bPGTcPhjRjlChvztgJq3ZVF9HJ46RBVP0gUH1n5rAwt1wC1il9JBrmonih2zgK1MDNoifw3qT7Vw/Bw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vPffbK2bPGTcPhjRjlChvztgJq3ZVF9HJ46RBVP0gUH1n5rAwt1wC1il9JBrmonih2zgK1MDNoifw3qT7Vw/Bw== {"files":[{"bytes":17370,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7901ed56516abbb16ba3640ea6173c8408204371b4dd79a2a55ffdd2127d500c"},{"bytes":7234,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c4ff65768ecbacbe8230f211dfd64e4a89cdbc04c45c44050a49590e10ab5592"},{"bytes":6930,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a627d77477a5b61393838bec279661e893eb4b845bf03c8994301ca06ccee530"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4bc4bbe2769cb9641b0d53b59bed32bf4d2af12203d033821d99bc9f79df1cbd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ac3b126521168e7115dd81622461e9d8d9dd40b47d75a3778bfea0b60c19384d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"dc1dc84c13345d2f91e1f0b0a6d9af33d15928822b5b8131c106702ac5e0b6a9"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102205"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102205
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102205

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
a627d77477a5b61393838bec279661e893eb4b845bf03c8994301ca06ccee530

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102205, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102205" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102205 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102205 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17370, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7901ed56516abbb16ba3640ea6173c8408204371b4dd79a2a55ffdd2127d500c" }, { "bytes": 7234, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c4ff65768ecbacbe8230f211dfd64e4a89cdbc04c45c44050a49590e10ab5592" }, { "bytes": 6930, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a627d77477a5b61393838bec279661e893eb4b845bf03c8994301ca06ccee530" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102205/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102205", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ef5-8a7a-c7e5bde10c7e" } nVPQMWn81tKQJ5sePbNdRvCEzUmCTA9zfImNkFZ+yXhIlUFNLmnnJP/oNQxa5kzmmA/i9dBEqAtzn4p/J5icCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: nVPQMWn81tKQJ5sePbNdRvCEzUmCTA9zfImNkFZ+yXhIlUFNLmnnJP/oNQxa5kzmmA/i9dBEqAtzn4p/J5icCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16825,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4e758bccc266efd23fb79f5c743e4be9392bb9a06c9220081d743195b23bd1ea"},{"bytes":6756,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"233c60ac73f89c4b09fbd77753c27f21a138f592a87e6721e585f3711fada6a1"},{"bytes":6455,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b6f466a9abd9e7cb2b71ec37f3715b021afd21f36e5696e4b4477205e4c543a5"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"21b53ddc1f089bb406031f4a7b9a478ce621649aed421b3abb29b2e4982e7498"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"dcac052b9ecae09110ae4cceeb7b608ea9456b3e0da26f314691d71fa5bc18c2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a001d5e71799a0776c3a5786b13efe17708685d1b12ceb4814fa46e2c761162a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102206"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102206
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102206

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
b6f466a9abd9e7cb2b71ec37f3715b021afd21f36e5696e4b4477205e4c543a5

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102206, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102206" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102206 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102206 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16825, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4e758bccc266efd23fb79f5c743e4be9392bb9a06c9220081d743195b23bd1ea" }, { "bytes": 6756, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "233c60ac73f89c4b09fbd77753c27f21a138f592a87e6721e585f3711fada6a1" }, { "bytes": 6455, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b6f466a9abd9e7cb2b71ec37f3715b021afd21f36e5696e4b4477205e4c543a5" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102206/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102206", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-755d-b4d8-c32a1b834a98" } l6g3x9dRxcwPs0mb/b/DmC8tE7BF5kTbH85lrZ7yJx/yFBiFSgWf8xUgWxWHYC6WXGqSFftYU+Y9O2hHDsxaCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: l6g3x9dRxcwPs0mb/b/DmC8tE7BF5kTbH85lrZ7yJx/yFBiFSgWf8xUgWxWHYC6WXGqSFftYU+Y9O2hHDsxaCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17623,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a10cf863532ec950d72acc6d60841a9159ff14a5a98a2101f934b0f403603b7d"},{"bytes":7444,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b34c6e6d19cfbbd3e6fc6c5fa02742c21e8d90ce91ebaf2d46ce89200b116cdb"},{"bytes":7140,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"32339510141e6d028a9f0b178c901fd555277a93e0c2d9c0186a9c961076e9f8"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bd9a56fc10c18e8596fe9e2ba8268e0ba25e132457f2ba37e5d2894d64a4448a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"363fe524a84f2462b05659309a349baa2c7070c2a820cc47830391f4be3faf62"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d33e0ad4389f264c36591302cfc8fe2234f42d791870662676f0283dc68b7068"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102207"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102207
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102207

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
32339510141e6d028a9f0b178c901fd555277a93e0c2d9c0186a9c961076e9f8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102207, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102207" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102207 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102207 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1023 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17623, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "a10cf863532ec950d72acc6d60841a9159ff14a5a98a2101f934b0f403603b7d" }, { "bytes": 7444, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b34c6e6d19cfbbd3e6fc6c5fa02742c21e8d90ce91ebaf2d46ce89200b116cdb" }, { "bytes": 7140, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "32339510141e6d028a9f0b178c901fd555277a93e0c2d9c0186a9c961076e9f8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102207/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102207", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7659-96a6-b30fbafda9c8" } CzBz8mLZeMCeWAGxF9h3bXj8g2F/YlrX3dDCnvtI2BsNmGhBKLvu6KvcyBB9dirf/6+HQI2yLOx5bYv5ad1WAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CzBz8mLZeMCeWAGxF9h3bXj8g2F/YlrX3dDCnvtI2BsNmGhBKLvu6KvcyBB9dirf/6+HQI2yLOx5bYv5ad1WAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17374,"name":"index.html","sha256":"50c3a1c69f0ad46027d36fd94c6e2b5aa9dcec2d7c2e0c19a883d31abb35b924"},{"bytes":7238,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7bfb3f5a0f2f53d127e69d70c2d2fdcbd331880f1228123f450bc3230d891aa9"},{"bytes":6934,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d2666455546ebd03a588f8ec0f1bdfbb2541ef0e241c6029c750b12c6ed8c9a1"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a1955e1a650a4f27c0f00cfcd3a9ada563a607f06e4cbf635c46fcd97539c81c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f6abce152654b03d8ba9207707b3f84d2449b748dda19dd4bfdfcffbb284174a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7b3e08579f0c6d87004181f975669f448f55039dabd5e609d766225c3cc1c5df"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102208"} Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102208
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102208

Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
d2666455546ebd03a588f8ec0f1bdfbb2541ef0e241c6029c750b12c6ed8c9a1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102208, “Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

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--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102208" title: "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102208 Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102208 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17374, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "50c3a1c69f0ad46027d36fd94c6e2b5aa9dcec2d7c2e0c19a883d31abb35b924" }, { "bytes": 7238, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7bfb3f5a0f2f53d127e69d70c2d2fdcbd331880f1228123f450bc3230d891aa9" }, { "bytes": 6934, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d2666455546ebd03a588f8ec0f1bdfbb2541ef0e241c6029c750b12c6ed8c9a1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102208/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102208", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two bellows cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-72a7-889d-bb37dfe04b46" } BpgTyMnOOXPiN+WLFCuNjI075omC+A44yv2r/588CB1Ef33obZZQ83yC5S6IPRcqzUPT6jkVXhlBbqgtpcDDCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: BpgTyMnOOXPiN+WLFCuNjI075omC+A44yv2r/588CB1Ef33obZZQ83yC5S6IPRcqzUPT6jkVXhlBbqgtpcDDCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17009,"name":"index.html","sha256":"06084c423a0dc88d62c434d502db0b80c672d266cd22368493d7a7d3db4d4540"},{"bytes":6908,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7759e9c37a1b830017c5622861c8a259362841634b70360f43e6377bafe16dcd"},{"bytes":6617,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"81a47ed38897f04e35c7aed695057fd3c219753e2930399eb6b0f813e3d99ab4"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6c93e874c96019687af2b8fbfb805a79fb1a2b7f3f878bd82e5e01dbf61b6ef1"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8b70a5c17127f6e11b39ac813e84e0817ddfa52e49e400f5ca160943403225bf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"47e69e2d56be437b26af103527995cc502264edecba0483dcac5dfa721f64d24"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102209"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102209
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102209

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
81a47ed38897f04e35c7aed695057fd3c219753e2930399eb6b0f813e3d99ab4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102209, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102209" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102209 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102209 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 958 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17009, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "06084c423a0dc88d62c434d502db0b80c672d266cd22368493d7a7d3db4d4540" }, { "bytes": 6908, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7759e9c37a1b830017c5622861c8a259362841634b70360f43e6377bafe16dcd" }, { "bytes": 6617, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "81a47ed38897f04e35c7aed695057fd3c219753e2930399eb6b0f813e3d99ab4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102209/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102209", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7a17-8335-6762184bfdcb" } yPAkxazTphpypoqFUhFMqTqzsrgt0ndBve87phRrxB+UPpJwxj++IIfbx+Yz5ndCNny/TfKnuxh+X7lpHWLYCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: yPAkxazTphpypoqFUhFMqTqzsrgt0ndBve87phRrxB+UPpJwxj++IIfbx+Yz5ndCNny/TfKnuxh+X7lpHWLYCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17807,"name":"index.html","sha256":"84641677c855437e2042dc60d73303ba6425053a0a41fd6cc0c4bace1bbc889a"},{"bytes":7596,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9b2a855880e1285299d5ac32259eb719be624ec9f7e6cd1c473d4382dc9eafef"},{"bytes":7302,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fd143ad3b080e7a9b713b2f151e97035b267cc2d4cb02a39f2eb3de7c4fc8d34"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"12d4f21eac88121df2d519936087ecbc3d9fee78c815224eaf0b55bb20388c1d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a49814beba64c31d8086143d59f2886e44d3a6bd7b2cefc1686cf7d54e724ac0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f5e392af54b5418a9f41d62099575bc4cde4aa3316bc819909594e6e04540759"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102210"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102210
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102210

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fd143ad3b080e7a9b713b2f151e97035b267cc2d4cb02a39f2eb3de7c4fc8d34

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102210, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102210" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102210 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102210 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17807, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "84641677c855437e2042dc60d73303ba6425053a0a41fd6cc0c4bace1bbc889a" }, { "bytes": 7596, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9b2a855880e1285299d5ac32259eb719be624ec9f7e6cd1c473d4382dc9eafef" }, { "bytes": 7302, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fd143ad3b080e7a9b713b2f151e97035b267cc2d4cb02a39f2eb3de7c4fc8d34" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102210/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102210", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7e3d-9d50-493f7c130c8e" } Xg9jL4VbGdV5qkXT6M4nMP0Th0xlF1X+5265824qgoxRAnoQErcdxalPqzI4JGAj6jt+It2BhZ/LHbOAv6d1CQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Xg9jL4VbGdV5qkXT6M4nMP0Th0xlF1X+5265824qgoxRAnoQErcdxalPqzI4JGAj6jt+It2BhZ/LHbOAv6d1CQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17558,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7a286ac1490849aa3ea58886233d5f7185a5e92f20811c37240f1464e5842b2d"},{"bytes":7390,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8fb2225ad8c5921e2318c32fe33bc4951a2d32ca146a063da0f4c63149c1a51b"},{"bytes":7096,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5df0602d355c51f8dad6917a72f70a0f047d616a42914e19d38509365e70258d"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a6bb00e9901dce912e87551e89d3f7fead412d1d3943a81ed7c005e997c0290e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"df7be62f8780f2136e3515d5d27458c6babe972e62db7ca3e616fa547b0d3127"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"98d45bb90e1c928e40a9487b0ca8e335e69125c3c2baff343a85abfa41a6a2d6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102211"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102211
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102211

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5df0602d355c51f8dad6917a72f70a0f047d616a42914e19d38509365e70258d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102211, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102211" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102211 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102211 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17558, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7a286ac1490849aa3ea58886233d5f7185a5e92f20811c37240f1464e5842b2d" }, { "bytes": 7390, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8fb2225ad8c5921e2318c32fe33bc4951a2d32ca146a063da0f4c63149c1a51b" }, { "bytes": 7096, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5df0602d355c51f8dad6917a72f70a0f047d616a42914e19d38509365e70258d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102211/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102211", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7460-a556-f9adbff48e57" } G+leYGW1zbFZ6TeerPlQ7NpKhfo6CbCTSnmuWJuLOmfUe/OBcXI0ACxlGexFA7lghqecNic44o9VMA6FTNI/Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: G+leYGW1zbFZ6TeerPlQ7NpKhfo6CbCTSnmuWJuLOmfUe/OBcXI0ACxlGexFA7lghqecNic44o9VMA6FTNI/Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":16955,"name":"index.html","sha256":"9506e4592ed2827849b64ee77b98cf399b81ea0ff266624e41a445330804a0d7"},{"bytes":6854,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c9406491a574ff263dda229c79418c8edbc66367dbb32947cde6cae204883e89"},{"bytes":6563,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"db3e8d9a3bde19b9f998731194ea4845518e247f6c5b84eedd48fc96347ce487"},{"bytes":2746,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ca86a7c45a6e04606b9bfbbce07db6e62986a6a4f118b2dd5ee57d99db638feb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"de414adad6a1a4e111a02423535152f03c06866ee1d572b049a78a710587c83a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b53363c1d81461105544869c49af93f664dc8584b2f852e3f7c122a7ee017e80"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102212"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102212
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102212

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
db3e8d9a3bde19b9f998731194ea4845518e247f6c5b84eedd48fc96347ce487

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102212, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102212.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102212" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102212" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102212 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102212 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102212 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102212 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102213

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
651ee3ef1cab449bf6bb7999c35e70d926a9a519ffcbcc24a4ced299d2dc6e4d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102213, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102213" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102213 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102213 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17753, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "2876d885895197d5d79eec769b845c4125e03febf0a623a652658aa5e6471b1d" }, { "bytes": 7542, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "b21a1e826ef100c190c4dce9b50bd0c8005e85d2d3d741eeea9784cc50d531ff" }, { "bytes": 7248, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "651ee3ef1cab449bf6bb7999c35e70d926a9a519ffcbcc24a4ced299d2dc6e4d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102213/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102213", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-764b-bf53-1a2af426ba68" } zzy9t4VWUxlNumSjYnR7SuwhTLaHyottfekpLzHZrKi7XAPSMdFx8cbAaWmnXpquMQTM6rTjY5aueFdceE4QAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zzy9t4VWUxlNumSjYnR7SuwhTLaHyottfekpLzHZrKi7XAPSMdFx8cbAaWmnXpquMQTM6rTjY5aueFdceE4QAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17504,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0f27c99635d7e0fbb2ba1afa882601988e29d980a05f71e276ed042c3a038052"},{"bytes":7336,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f4cdf277697886ccda0382e6b1643b90a8fb725498f103d5f1f50c9ed22fd19b"},{"bytes":7042,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"367dde14eecbd60a235ecb7a622d98a27efa5f7b9c4bcfb4f4f19f4275ad8bf1"},{"bytes":2756,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8777733489f17097d968af5a683c68555b6df9b73500d7e9d5cf17fb7dcac91a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"42208c75d6f559311dc1335e59c9bc6b72a0c2593eb9c02f71250ba370cd83b5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"400509f81ee513a216f1d7042a7959738cb29644af3c4e6b9d215a746895d0e7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102214"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102214
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102214

Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
367dde14eecbd60a235ecb7a622d98a27efa5f7b9c4bcfb4f4f19f4275ad8bf1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102214, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102214" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102214 Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102214 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1014 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17504, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0f27c99635d7e0fbb2ba1afa882601988e29d980a05f71e276ed042c3a038052" }, { "bytes": 7336, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f4cdf277697886ccda0382e6b1643b90a8fb725498f103d5f1f50c9ed22fd19b" }, { "bytes": 7042, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "367dde14eecbd60a235ecb7a622d98a27efa5f7b9c4bcfb4f4f19f4275ad8bf1" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102214/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102214", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7772-8daf-097892b635a9" } 8obymtHkOv8oeSQW3ca7VFTET2sM6uQqDy9i/JbyyQbD89BcZaPgfk6S6t6BL2xTDkNudsThD1VUks4teeiLDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 8obymtHkOv8oeSQW3ca7VFTET2sM6uQqDy9i/JbyyQbD89BcZaPgfk6S6t6BL2xTDkNudsThD1VUks4teeiLDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16714,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0808c0a70b7e4a2642eb10880458ce803d983b9e9d1e891c656231d727344c77"},{"bytes":6661,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"70a8b8403d442b96355ea8460503306ae707f78f1c59cd823d929a163cdb5f6f"},{"bytes":6368,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"09eac3208305231b5acee265b06cdcd3c02270a5374e2c8a2155f0f5b84e991a"},{"bytes":2759,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ad328fc1fbe0ed95e984f9d2b2fd9a77ecf465a278b59ab8a6bbd453c6fa659b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"07834daf55215d1b582378697ac2ebc0a7f9aee0768d5621b64f196876bf0aed"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6b08656993e7678d9e84ec6f94467b1606e302b45ccfda7a176bd8ec991d45ee"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102215"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102215
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102215

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
09eac3208305231b5acee265b06cdcd3c02270a5374e2c8a2155f0f5b84e991a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102215, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102215" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102215 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102215 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 906 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16714, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0808c0a70b7e4a2642eb10880458ce803d983b9e9d1e891c656231d727344c77" }, { "bytes": 6661, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "70a8b8403d442b96355ea8460503306ae707f78f1c59cd823d929a163cdb5f6f" }, { "bytes": 6368, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "09eac3208305231b5acee265b06cdcd3c02270a5374e2c8a2155f0f5b84e991a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102215/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102215", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7d0f-852e-92aa7f1b93f9" } g1OmjiKF5qNxsAkORAu9nC33vA0MQwNW+IN4q1KozHITZsXVSXM7BtxV6hjXd/h8fnw/SahOrWkM8f32HndWCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: g1OmjiKF5qNxsAkORAu9nC33vA0MQwNW+IN4q1KozHITZsXVSXM7BtxV6hjXd/h8fnw/SahOrWkM8f32HndWCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17512,"name":"index.html","sha256":"798051512e7a77331a96fa655b488d618bc955540f891341928d8937bb22fa25"},{"bytes":7349,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c784c0b8b53fb9b85f253894c4b519674b52496fff4f54dd9620119472b53281"},{"bytes":7053,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6f2eeac909dcdfddec6fc64a7a487fc2df861e7e5f974d0e267025907d777260"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"818196eac2b6a83a20392f0ed09821646b640ef75b23fd98657d200915770332"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"03c85e96d2c869dbfb7bf2965b62c8f2929f8181ac794c62199a1925e52c2f76"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3e58bcecb8bfdec3a8ea2dc5b5a13bb1dbee9d34d5888bea044aa6a5c41aa88e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102216"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102216
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102216

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6f2eeac909dcdfddec6fc64a7a487fc2df861e7e5f974d0e267025907d777260

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102216, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102216.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102216" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102216" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102216 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102216 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102216 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102216 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102217

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
184900544349b3dfdb945d9dbbebcbf351c5397ba4fd62f17f2182ad343d3134

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102217, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102217.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102217" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102217" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102217 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102217 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102217 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102217 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102218

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e6b0ab20203d754d9d5dc5889ee81e375658bcb33c32253a34479a16bfa825e7

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102218, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102218" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102218 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102218 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 906 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16714, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e6e119f172f63101f754ae25f688872f934476318b283baa37b27c69b74b89f5" }, { "bytes": 6661, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5f733bab2f4a2fd17c5131d1a635a6079a309f1b9773fc1ddbfe98e5cc470062" }, { "bytes": 6368, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e6b0ab20203d754d9d5dc5889ee81e375658bcb33c32253a34479a16bfa825e7" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102218/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102218", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ed8-add4-4278d53bf834" } L3RzmC/u5eVGHxjkOvvoozIpWsUFWB3k5+qstkMpDBZu3YF/lFrdf49RBvAyQpQUWsLvmiaA9XwBMbiIv6GuBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: L3RzmC/u5eVGHxjkOvvoozIpWsUFWB3k5+qstkMpDBZu3YF/lFrdf49RBvAyQpQUWsLvmiaA9XwBMbiIv6GuBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17512,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7bcb0401e5b75b2c3ac17fafb788a579333c4fee7f3e51740709cf9d85bbc5cc"},{"bytes":7349,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4e3975cf1252e14ea1538332d73606010fc1d36574a65be53d9124ccf2942fba"},{"bytes":7053,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a7f8f0e5f47c8023515646db24dcc72aeae41a4d4cab2780a8faf4b516e6d360"},{"bytes":2769,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8714ad716d57db98c2fa877d129a96a8efdc6f1794a8135df54f056e764ee008"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3b14e1a9d0a55855a872b9b32be10892ae4279dcb11d781ff74b5afb7be970ee"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3a8764ae87619f1ac6ef387f0f25bbfe24c2b2ba92f540b4a35a81ac0386210d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102219"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102219
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102219

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
a7f8f0e5f47c8023515646db24dcc72aeae41a4d4cab2780a8faf4b516e6d360

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102219, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102219" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102219 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102219 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1011 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17512, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7bcb0401e5b75b2c3ac17fafb788a579333c4fee7f3e51740709cf9d85bbc5cc" }, { "bytes": 7349, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4e3975cf1252e14ea1538332d73606010fc1d36574a65be53d9124ccf2942fba" }, { "bytes": 7053, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a7f8f0e5f47c8023515646db24dcc72aeae41a4d4cab2780a8faf4b516e6d360" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102219/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102219", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7824-a4da-db8fe41af632" } eziAJNtENYcfegRMMh8iwIy35JngHQSP9TU3iTSHPa/EvgnZwkGfYSsHhPs7T2MERgxBaCtPZqRFpj0xTTTpBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: eziAJNtENYcfegRMMh8iwIy35JngHQSP9TU3iTSHPa/EvgnZwkGfYSsHhPs7T2MERgxBaCtPZqRFpj0xTTTpBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17263,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ba76a4d897580fdaec175916f5f8a2ad2d3cd28e03d6b922c0a62ad27c2d6f62"},{"bytes":7143,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"05d612316259b308b98737cde99d83dc54302239e8014a7a1e04873eb745cf2b"},{"bytes":6847,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"2ac81e1ce8f59aa98df1edb2fec60b1be1bad46d28dc8b35efc07b8ab1fb2cee"},{"bytes":2768,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b288576384302d49adbedbb4bbf00ab6f1dbe5f68cdbe1a9f1a5644768a06664"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fe057edae3974f5953f0f66edfb3dbf2b8d0e67f96d5b8403182b3b2a76ff8e0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"50db6ee67592cb958ae2b9d2c2b9e9dcc811862926179e17bbbd783f89696460"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102220"} Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102220
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102220

Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2ac81e1ce8f59aa98df1edb2fec60b1be1bad46d28dc8b35efc07b8ab1fb2cee

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102220, “Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102220" title: "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Two suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Two zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102220 Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: two suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Two suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Two zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of two follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into two zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The two zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: two (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102220 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, two suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, two zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 977 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17263, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ba76a4d897580fdaec175916f5f8a2ad2d3cd28e03d6b922c0a62ad27c2d6f62" }, { "bytes": 7143, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "05d612316259b308b98737cde99d83dc54302239e8014a7a1e04873eb745cf2b" }, { "bytes": 6847, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2ac81e1ce8f59aa98df1edb2fec60b1be1bad46d28dc8b35efc07b8ab1fb2cee" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102220/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102220", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Two cup vacuum gripper, two zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-75b7-a2f5-0c9ff8669612" } VGtGVs7rnerRxcmwyJuBhhPHV3sIT9X57oeQbH9CgXpEv9+BA+ami49nOZHWDU6+E+XawovKyp1UBRQC6hZSCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VGtGVs7rnerRxcmwyJuBhhPHV3sIT9X57oeQbH9CgXpEv9+BA+ami49nOZHWDU6+E+XawovKyp1UBRQC6hZSCA== {"files":[{"bytes":16993,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7a52d7b103b4a126e58ac285df94dbdec245d94884a25b568ea3d3d7d4889f48"},{"bytes":6888,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"48a610e4507f26dee0dad1dce5646432a66073b69da3bddf98b644014b212834"},{"bytes":6575,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f7696fa21500791d18a6c550b41e2849f3c4ea1530f074afed3973ec7d18af89"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8d0f2c590bc72342819de96d28384f4d9493a0502ae544cf188cfbdec4e199e3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e1f21b0a959ee88b252ed9965577a07d3cd554cca97a3cd12bf176040fce4c12"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"dbe1e5d09a16467d224e6480ba2bc2e60d78a4dfb4f5d9ca6d0b896fec25e76e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102221"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102221
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102221

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
f7696fa21500791d18a6c550b41e2849f3c4ea1530f074afed3973ec7d18af89

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102221, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102221" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102221 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102221 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16993, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7a52d7b103b4a126e58ac285df94dbdec245d94884a25b568ea3d3d7d4889f48" }, { "bytes": 6888, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "48a610e4507f26dee0dad1dce5646432a66073b69da3bddf98b644014b212834" }, { "bytes": 6575, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f7696fa21500791d18a6c550b41e2849f3c4ea1530f074afed3973ec7d18af89" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102221/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102221", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-70c9-83ee-322d1093b0ea" } LmvkgakRx4vFJOIYa8gZSnXrxZjPy4rG6jr8G2dIiVkuJvlCxKTwN6oKRBGcQYwV9yR3/YH5et1l5KpTij4XCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LmvkgakRx4vFJOIYa8gZSnXrxZjPy4rG6jr8G2dIiVkuJvlCxKTwN6oKRBGcQYwV9yR3/YH5et1l5KpTij4XCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17791,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1e332b6932833f774c0b3947266667ce614e8f5324f986f93f7113aa41665631"},{"bytes":7576,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5c642f83d37781667e1e166fc1bf2eaa2f0dcfe7cac2849dc8648bf3032a0896"},{"bytes":7260,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4869af4beb0ac9f10810d85b9b4f2d288f48d517f39f6d1ed84fdc77957076d0"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bce6280669972daab493552d2a72e8d10384e2e3bced3fbf21b47a1c17d02ef4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8bf861e4aacce66124330d5a777026826b2ea32b439bf033d67b4c6e732c98da"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1a6e36d13c99b3c87ab7b405e84d98ca9b55663710f867a9291cbbabaddf03d7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102222"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102222
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102222

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
4869af4beb0ac9f10810d85b9b4f2d288f48d517f39f6d1ed84fdc77957076d0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102222, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102222" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102222 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102222 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17791, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1e332b6932833f774c0b3947266667ce614e8f5324f986f93f7113aa41665631" }, { "bytes": 7576, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5c642f83d37781667e1e166fc1bf2eaa2f0dcfe7cac2849dc8648bf3032a0896" }, { "bytes": 7260, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4869af4beb0ac9f10810d85b9b4f2d288f48d517f39f6d1ed84fdc77957076d0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102222/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102222", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7b3c-96fb-3738b5f92b89" } OlXSMTs1lin2qD6LyHrHevdqQlTk/deXIoTrEeXP1U29KBG+RAM3rURkh5lQmD7fVaHsktRA1GN7Qv4UopGBAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: OlXSMTs1lin2qD6LyHrHevdqQlTk/deXIoTrEeXP1U29KBG+RAM3rURkh5lQmD7fVaHsktRA1GN7Qv4UopGBAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17542,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e61d96de3183bda3b42727e9ee21a0714b8c0bad934ef677e2711a16cc993675"},{"bytes":7370,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"20dcaa3200f5feedf9e34af2a383f8dac1c8077bb71ca03fe60dff0c3cc2fdda"},{"bytes":7054,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6f2a4e9eef193d9207a957ef2b2a4787e9c49d9418575d9ef76a881040eebf45"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"985930513c76c70e5612ed0a70244980570173080ed883b483bbf9c6b77363d5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"dfc77bfdc480eba7fd7142b8dc2c46918f8b4e44705e1122b875e64efabd2ddf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"081b664eb01e129b467dfee459524152160eb7de2c8bf36117964a13fd484f88"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102223"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102223
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102223

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6f2a4e9eef193d9207a957ef2b2a4787e9c49d9418575d9ef76a881040eebf45

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102223, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102223.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102223" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102223" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102223 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102223 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102223 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102223 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102224

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
072ebab443a12613bf60cd696da4f257594f78b8b61283ee7ad1865e745f4afb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102224, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102224.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102224" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102224" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102224 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102224 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102224 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102224 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102225

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
aeafad5e641f36d26866aa792297013a6de937d28acb901a4c47a3a712c59334

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102225, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102225" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102225 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102225 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17792, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f05c3d487cc68b223cedf2d305eb583d707c844e5c66c32444464e56f77cc202" }, { "bytes": 7577, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "bcfa7c3151cdc3a4bbb651d130c0f7bf01b678eb37d7894644022f24d6aedf17" }, { "bytes": 7261, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "aeafad5e641f36d26866aa792297013a6de937d28acb901a4c47a3a712c59334" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102225/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102225", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7110-a544-38ebe2abbb5b" } 86loqBQHHKoH+vmIyArC0O8sKR1lCEg+FjxJTME6WJ4kw5F0lruxfnhZzpdTxQSEERdPghGzzs9/bDrlayH8CQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 86loqBQHHKoH+vmIyArC0O8sKR1lCEg+FjxJTME6WJ4kw5F0lruxfnhZzpdTxQSEERdPghGzzs9/bDrlayH8CQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17543,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6f9653fbc7affe2d07d4952b432abf3443f5b498e6d85d507c397e03dd6e29ad"},{"bytes":7371,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d1d9fcaf8aed77fe51c307eb06014d5d9bb998e8df389f7d1e8895a07d8f79c5"},{"bytes":7055,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1d8331a518d1bd9c800afc3bd63e62dd20749153aaaa4b4bb0ba5efc94579ad4"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4a7fdd75f54b1ff9fe6b77d798747d77385f6e9302682677248f4eb02d56edf1"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"97cb82390711bf3086cebcb99b696d2309eba3755b1888652428b7b3081bfb1f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"835f460cca0308c857b8eb66312bf36257c3b0c5ab3a064581bbe594caf1f73c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102226"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102226
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102226

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1d8331a518d1bd9c800afc3bd63e62dd20749153aaaa4b4bb0ba5efc94579ad4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102226, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102226" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102226 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102226 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17543, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6f9653fbc7affe2d07d4952b432abf3443f5b498e6d85d507c397e03dd6e29ad" }, { "bytes": 7371, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d1d9fcaf8aed77fe51c307eb06014d5d9bb998e8df389f7d1e8895a07d8f79c5" }, { "bytes": 7055, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1d8331a518d1bd9c800afc3bd63e62dd20749153aaaa4b4bb0ba5efc94579ad4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102226/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102226", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7cba-abb6-dbbbf6382d01" } GJ0BJSKoshQwglR1/vs0NwS0Onzrq0oLc//5MMNk6Gsa/Ed/EpeL66pJLyasseU1xIEZ8Beq5jfNRV9bIbLoAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: GJ0BJSKoshQwglR1/vs0NwS0Onzrq0oLc//5MMNk6Gsa/Ed/EpeL66pJLyasseU1xIEZ8Beq5jfNRV9bIbLoAw== {"files":[{"bytes":16998,"name":"index.html","sha256":"624bcbf29ff5581d0e8a5a635f6a2777e302a45a4bde8cafe1d78c9d0dd8ecf4"},{"bytes":6893,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4677807edd7a41abdd2026742416366c1ea0851e64a27d63becf62afacfc7c60"},{"bytes":6580,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a739e842a2f18ea1b4ec978f1fcdc06470a420036a0685ba7fb5fefb03b2545f"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a2c112b3cbb3aa7ab3212dc5128b69e96c56e4b8d94539a74b1b5ef3d00688e6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"401402b0e034b5f3a4ed96da40ba50629954e5aabd136da3acede110a4b2ba90"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4d73c934844ee7073518d120776ee6c1aecdcb57b475a1c3db6f9823974fd41b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102227"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102227
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102227

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a739e842a2f18ea1b4ec978f1fcdc06470a420036a0685ba7fb5fefb03b2545f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102227, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102227" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102227 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102227 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16998, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "624bcbf29ff5581d0e8a5a635f6a2777e302a45a4bde8cafe1d78c9d0dd8ecf4" }, { "bytes": 6893, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4677807edd7a41abdd2026742416366c1ea0851e64a27d63becf62afacfc7c60" }, { "bytes": 6580, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a739e842a2f18ea1b4ec978f1fcdc06470a420036a0685ba7fb5fefb03b2545f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102227/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102227", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7536-bf47-72a7a7fc86d3" } doNH/sUkCsodF9tFeSexuav22EEDOKbJ/Jlz6qXQrADF7jfYfRMp6Ys1LH96iN21mPAtlSIRAfAp6imyA8x7AQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: doNH/sUkCsodF9tFeSexuav22EEDOKbJ/Jlz6qXQrADF7jfYfRMp6Ys1LH96iN21mPAtlSIRAfAp6imyA8x7AQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17796,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f988220be3844116321b449a72545da5c2977805ca6d45979ff41d06197f8ab3"},{"bytes":7581,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"03d52d6a5747d18aef7182ae1438eb0a33ecc242f514e681df445c1ce2cf4cf9"},{"bytes":7265,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6d9126b848086ccf2c1abede13cfff215b54f2e93720024817e18b85f10455be"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"780e60ed1fcabd66dc9ad1686a91d915b46156cfd066e574037bc80510900144"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e1f368285b9d5ecdfb6525757a52d3a89a1c6d13d967a0eaf054c2dfa327a454"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c8a1a96fcba4ef55abc091206ee4db9b5d35051e32d824188502c339960afc0e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102228"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102228
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102228

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6d9126b848086ccf2c1abede13cfff215b54f2e93720024817e18b85f10455be

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102228, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102228" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102228 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102228 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17796, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f988220be3844116321b449a72545da5c2977805ca6d45979ff41d06197f8ab3" }, { "bytes": 7581, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "03d52d6a5747d18aef7182ae1438eb0a33ecc242f514e681df445c1ce2cf4cf9" }, { "bytes": 7265, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6d9126b848086ccf2c1abede13cfff215b54f2e93720024817e18b85f10455be" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102228/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102228", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-75cf-bcfe-4509877ecbaf" } 6cc+yywTlcp+js77uoPy858lwTBims+xPrfPDymqobCjM0oiExuIG85Mj/FZKXCYjvjvnh6/04IuqTD51YAkBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6cc+yywTlcp+js77uoPy858lwTBims+xPrfPDymqobCjM0oiExuIG85Mj/FZKXCYjvjvnh6/04IuqTD51YAkBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17547,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5edf197a01cdacad3eb1a2749ca58cdad8d6d1e7036ecc0833806b58ca47ce59"},{"bytes":7375,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"4ccfeb681ee717623409d635293d7afa547d2d112d3c275deae6dd47da221c19"},{"bytes":7059,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"cf3c96693af1def7cbe0ae22cef356712147fc70611d5728bcf3e2f550c1c142"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"92b9699bbe4d43f3c65b51f082c45e4a1f13151ccd7e28905900d38f0b9622dc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ba6c2b7b298a94c5b0f94bf44e8c8e92ebff05972342d2abffc4f8ccef5c539b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e44f93ae9eaa4666369f9cc21d1e12d2dc415be9e62645926a68ca040a84ed8d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102229"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102229
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102229

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cf3c96693af1def7cbe0ae22cef356712147fc70611d5728bcf3e2f550c1c142

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102229, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102229" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102229 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102229 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17547, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5edf197a01cdacad3eb1a2749ca58cdad8d6d1e7036ecc0833806b58ca47ce59" }, { "bytes": 7375, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "4ccfeb681ee717623409d635293d7afa547d2d112d3c275deae6dd47da221c19" }, { "bytes": 7059, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cf3c96693af1def7cbe0ae22cef356712147fc70611d5728bcf3e2f550c1c142" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102229/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102229", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7a64-877a-5efb9241026f" } iUosb/dBNN5K+wJLQ7CFpknWP4E0d94c4HXjFtXrdIake1+G05m1cOtlLE0cPpywwuJnhFTPw0B4GtkMRp6OAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: iUosb/dBNN5K+wJLQ7CFpknWP4E0d94c4HXjFtXrdIake1+G05m1cOtlLE0cPpywwuJnhFTPw0B4GtkMRp6OAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17166,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e626356c94e16e1224ea79cef3693d531679fbbb7a24a183d8abf571f5661ce0"},{"bytes":7033,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ea09753059df0c8996da67753611f54e5e295a5d8ec56f4819802690dbd00461"},{"bytes":6732,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4ce8e5fa597f20b6c0c2e550948ec04705ac8fce43449fa1d76212c00d8259db"},{"bytes":2750,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b2fffe96db083e0941e6260f4b931126f2bb1f6dcb00801c9884143120f76aa1"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4daf5bf4a86b44c5d223a97945c61fdcc9bbdc2ceded95e9fdd12dccf89dcac7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a6d3b8fdb0c8a2dcabe0f878a5e343e02092b3ed0805b554cc28f7c89483b4c4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102230"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102230
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102230

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4ce8e5fa597f20b6c0c2e550948ec04705ac8fce43449fa1d76212c00d8259db

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102230, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102230.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102230" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102230" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102230 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102230 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102230 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102230 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102231

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
db8e9f461b8529800d631a12aed654f2ac82663288ca4ef19ac0bd89c6479bd2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102231, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102231.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102231" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102231" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102231 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102231 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102231 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102231 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102232

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b0c4be404cd1a0dd9f0f110c9391356da519828dae55ed14db3b41f53d6b36b8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102232, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102232.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102232" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102232" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102232 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102232 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102232 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102232 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102233

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c5a61c768b2690e1d59e60aeceabd4ecc18999ddbc7ba2ff5876bdb936871e9c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102233, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102233" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102233 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102233 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 961 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17112, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c097dc2181880180cdce054f17e61f3b95e9d76c2447296b0c195c60bf08e4b0" }, { "bytes": 6979, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "dec264cfedaef51614e8fa4a126ccf6e86b247fcef01ed327ee7787fb7e9d19a" }, { "bytes": 6678, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c5a61c768b2690e1d59e60aeceabd4ecc18999ddbc7ba2ff5876bdb936871e9c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102233/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102233", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7511-8ba7-709aee27772f" } eljQbg/yv8AsJel8R8aDmTZZCVkEVP8VGJjbOsBA8kq9aoqzrZqMP+JeSlt8CUIm7TgQ0MRrzCzu8XsDLSVNCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: eljQbg/yv8AsJel8R8aDmTZZCVkEVP8VGJjbOsBA8kq9aoqzrZqMP+JeSlt8CUIm7TgQ0MRrzCzu8XsDLSVNCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17910,"name":"index.html","sha256":"94530950100a93de71d7651d2203d6ff07be384edfaf739a7fe18746e9d4dab3"},{"bytes":7667,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3f32599118aaddb94f909611268f22fe9edd5da42aae3bfae8f6e60aa9b3dbcb"},{"bytes":7363,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fec8b1f17d54e283fa3336cbeaa06c0445d8f3d22fb0d72dbf1ec5d0f3f1364a"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e4203e05d519245e45ce5ffb6b1eb2fd2cb43659d1ff816606fa471d6239e482"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7e833665cc8edb50580c211133253527474825b0c80367d70187ddf36bd5d247"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c96ec13ebb48bb753da662982779b25d4f13bd00533902380c004967e4df551b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102234"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102234
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102234

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fec8b1f17d54e283fa3336cbeaa06c0445d8f3d22fb0d72dbf1ec5d0f3f1364a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102234, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102234" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102234 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102234 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17910, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "94530950100a93de71d7651d2203d6ff07be384edfaf739a7fe18746e9d4dab3" }, { "bytes": 7667, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3f32599118aaddb94f909611268f22fe9edd5da42aae3bfae8f6e60aa9b3dbcb" }, { "bytes": 7363, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fec8b1f17d54e283fa3336cbeaa06c0445d8f3d22fb0d72dbf1ec5d0f3f1364a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102234/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102234", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ce6-8b67-898fe6572495" } c6jhy2jZvb/tUdrzWHv7sQj3pvB3IQvQqcIri6tvmdT55fN09kdsrQUJHFVUM7BFgJpcIVhvCyXngWVCU9vgCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: c6jhy2jZvb/tUdrzWHv7sQj3pvB3IQvQqcIri6tvmdT55fN09kdsrQUJHFVUM7BFgJpcIVhvCyXngWVCU9vgCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17661,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d4915e8323518f2f1d9d8e3e017cd9b01f8326b7cdd07ca2af5ea60e94182a6b"},{"bytes":7461,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e7446d83ea4f61db2d9eb072ff8178b28b66e99fc3fc449d9065cf13fba04231"},{"bytes":7157,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e0fe18ee471e93384c47ac72da4acb0132f3fe6bc483dee6a9d39f319624c37a"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0ceea64a39f7b46ebc904e41a45a4f0942dc91addcda57780f311f2f59149324"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8b94b69650d1a722ae6877cd90b784688cae2c31ec026baefca74fa57efee5d2"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"72fbe2feaad11efbfa2d9e837f2cbe016e0905fa94064952b4736dfd68e56183"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102235"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102235
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102235

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e0fe18ee471e93384c47ac72da4acb0132f3fe6bc483dee6a9d39f319624c37a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102235, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102235.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102235" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102235" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102235 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102235 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102235 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102235 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102236

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
b57ecd1f34b4f1ac9a289dd3e86005d7e4395d629b46e6f12cb677e5ade4d3a1

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102236, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102236.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102236" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102236" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102236 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102236 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102236 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102236 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102237

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
ea825c757aadc1371a8fdbb0275dfc607fe4b1bef4df77d5553b59b9e024694c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102237, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102237" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102237 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102237 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17685, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "48df7f52fa4d72690e7f0b3eabc49fe3b90e43e83da9f2a549ea3a2af807882e" }, { "bytes": 7486, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8f7d8876fb933a7ee067febaa9fa1e61ef8b2d437fd0557324fd9519ef34c7aa" }, { "bytes": 7178, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ea825c757aadc1371a8fdbb0275dfc607fe4b1bef4df77d5553b59b9e024694c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102237/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102237", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-767a-9457-c5e5fe57a8e0" } TZJ5x+fHpePh/6u/v8wCoLRyI36bg0qvQpzvn1/q1iFetOfQ2O6wwqB9JGtAueHlptBmQeMp9vuRK/S/BTIEDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: TZJ5x+fHpePh/6u/v8wCoLRyI36bg0qvQpzvn1/q1iFetOfQ2O6wwqB9JGtAueHlptBmQeMp9vuRK/S/BTIEDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17436,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e635dc766869786a13769d306b87b050f5e3d07d102be4d3a1d74697203b8b0a"},{"bytes":7280,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f17b9d2f25427c5768a7c2128dcfd63e8af1809023c71773d8be811ef73636ba"},{"bytes":6972,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5bd360e69e55c3eb7e07f83165bb3d307ed3eb8c936cdb40ed549114f912d8cd"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d78c4304143cb608f4df178ef83b70a4f272253ff5f4874d0dfef804add9ca60"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a58acec8dba7910a21f6fac714792d1cd8b78bd1ca9f13146c3b8ec988eff5b7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"05c0a902d55ac473a1fdb844a45b6a3b30db9d12dfa1c1bb779883edba004d73"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102238"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102238
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102238

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5bd360e69e55c3eb7e07f83165bb3d307ed3eb8c936cdb40ed549114f912d8cd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102238, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102238" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102238 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102238 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17436, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e635dc766869786a13769d306b87b050f5e3d07d102be4d3a1d74697203b8b0a" }, { "bytes": 7280, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f17b9d2f25427c5768a7c2128dcfd63e8af1809023c71773d8be811ef73636ba" }, { "bytes": 6972, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "5bd360e69e55c3eb7e07f83165bb3d307ed3eb8c936cdb40ed549114f912d8cd" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102238/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102238", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7036-9d61-113d72b64e7f" } uohxLh+3QwhYw0B8eXny7evTiSpXpG4gUrRzafBKGuFJMQqZwn7BJtgiPSofNgk29lFzsCaQbcn28AsG/G6GAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: uohxLh+3QwhYw0B8eXny7evTiSpXpG4gUrRzafBKGuFJMQqZwn7BJtgiPSofNgk29lFzsCaQbcn28AsG/G6GAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16887,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6c3da0f4ead4aa579778e1ac916536777f294e63addfa19a332cc9e6b5fac3ad"},{"bytes":6798,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5141040b55128c9e3701f39f3a2a4f161fcf3c677e9799771118eafcbf8e9d45"},{"bytes":6493,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"a8c31b20f44f3830a6892ae63bc367af0dd985adc7d0647dc0a462d2c0d67f40"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fa1a2709434e44aad22aa0ff1a1c2f6a79f0d09096c6c642cec47110ab68a701"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"616792f2ba1d52f53ef263f08de435b025310907d551e1a71496a6e4b3496eb6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1fd64afa3e3f966118d1179bc414624ea8eae93c73fd49c844a023ee7109b639"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102239"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102239
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102239

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a8c31b20f44f3830a6892ae63bc367af0dd985adc7d0647dc0a462d2c0d67f40

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102239, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102239" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102239 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102239 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16887, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6c3da0f4ead4aa579778e1ac916536777f294e63addfa19a332cc9e6b5fac3ad" }, { "bytes": 6798, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5141040b55128c9e3701f39f3a2a4f161fcf3c677e9799771118eafcbf8e9d45" }, { "bytes": 6493, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a8c31b20f44f3830a6892ae63bc367af0dd985adc7d0647dc0a462d2c0d67f40" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102239/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102239", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-782c-b313-a3cc03fac021" } tTQboXivV37OcTIciptZn1x/2ohXREhrnqJXJzveaT8yi2BCcgUURgPTXYcWHUg6upoVWina4LdFvpJ0Kst9BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tTQboXivV37OcTIciptZn1x/2ohXREhrnqJXJzveaT8yi2BCcgUURgPTXYcWHUg6upoVWina4LdFvpJ0Kst9BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17685,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f54df7da0db0201f025d004c23f53d5e0fdd9595fc7f20b5c412bc9ac759323c"},{"bytes":7486,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"37b3a033c2260979fbda8e5916bbeb36cc5123a739b7e95f3bf8cdb4983cd3d0"},{"bytes":7178,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"60bb95a547cc6d6cce824abead7445576270f3dd1861f1404268392d4e32f438"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0a5a0b609a9e1acd8f05d5a1f480d98cb30e68b356d088110a1bc3a5b055b00b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"e039a14506b20285d4e3ca04ac9431fe993f395d3947053e0e7e4151efdfdfe1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a4afa4ded5e7349491e2d850a7cb4af4c31f31e3ab30cc7ff14808ac7551a402"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102240"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102240
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102240

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
60bb95a547cc6d6cce824abead7445576270f3dd1861f1404268392d4e32f438

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102240, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102240" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102240 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102240 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17685, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f54df7da0db0201f025d004c23f53d5e0fdd9595fc7f20b5c412bc9ac759323c" }, { "bytes": 7486, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "37b3a033c2260979fbda8e5916bbeb36cc5123a739b7e95f3bf8cdb4983cd3d0" }, { "bytes": 7178, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "60bb95a547cc6d6cce824abead7445576270f3dd1861f1404268392d4e32f438" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102240/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102240", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ee5-b20f-79014d702798" } bsLeowGJIVovVAKvraHu7LlktkKOWA+ipFyGXhxidGhBOtkaIj94CoIO1dRvFI3kLHpzYWzVyEnGjgn6PH9gBg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bsLeowGJIVovVAKvraHu7LlktkKOWA+ipFyGXhxidGhBOtkaIj94CoIO1dRvFI3kLHpzYWzVyEnGjgn6PH9gBg== {"files":[{"bytes":17436,"name":"index.html","sha256":"064799113a4f6d2149e8d78039e8bf2d4b322957b126e3b34dc7a5f8e964f006"},{"bytes":7280,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c494e72e304449732019ffb77f3465b1244064b0dd29a2392be5c6747bd047f0"},{"bytes":6972,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c8562635a5e280c59a71d51685bcda77b6d7aff68b6ffb80f7f18779b83cdafc"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"5d06f708ec5e06253de4b595aed7a54f192356421557c4c0da31b61278b1952a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ce391bdcbb0735255c10554d296ee3c25c0f9f7e3b1ffcdcc36186eb60244f21"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f441b615059ff0d3ad0d7a40e685672664c3ef35f0ff177f6152795823fb3cfa"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102241"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102241
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102241

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c8562635a5e280c59a71d51685bcda77b6d7aff68b6ffb80f7f18779b83cdafc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102241, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102241" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102241 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102241 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17436, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "064799113a4f6d2149e8d78039e8bf2d4b322957b126e3b34dc7a5f8e964f006" }, { "bytes": 7280, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c494e72e304449732019ffb77f3465b1244064b0dd29a2392be5c6747bd047f0" }, { "bytes": 6972, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c8562635a5e280c59a71d51685bcda77b6d7aff68b6ffb80f7f18779b83cdafc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102241/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102241", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7f57-994f-c57677aa0421" } tqVIZV3OktrqA5k3fF3TSWUF0Vi9FhLuw9H1q2yiYkAENRReuwSnGJShcQd0HglYdJwAeqemlOE59PKMTuu6Cg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tqVIZV3OktrqA5k3fF3TSWUF0Vi9FhLuw9H1q2yiYkAENRReuwSnGJShcQd0HglYdJwAeqemlOE59PKMTuu6Cg== {"files":[{"bytes":16982,"name":"index.html","sha256":"acd9e3cceb97df8fb0cc2805e7eb866094e55b80b661b5e540cdaa234ac5c716"},{"bytes":6883,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"b779e8e7e801b2ce6e486b6cee9982c8951e06c7ae1c2e1fb7ce367d84316c0a"},{"bytes":6573,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"699322ce94bb29af94625bcafa73490a633cc55e5c9bc31da5fc6ed882afcfa9"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"29ff1db7660e82b4f98703d65f94269407d32437f7e68956aa2974be8a67e71f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9e947e36506513920ed109822899992d9fa2b3e179cf106d07ca53fb8215f04e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"779e2d8716c4bb2de7c3d583268a087c95e9572a8837aa5aff72a9391efceff8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102242"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102242
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102242

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
699322ce94bb29af94625bcafa73490a633cc55e5c9bc31da5fc6ed882afcfa9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102242, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102242.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102242" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102242" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102242 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102242 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102242 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102242 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102243

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
cc2cd50ba28db446cc5a86294451e331becd8949c1c6384a877fa79d038eb921

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102243, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102243" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102243 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102243 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17780, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "eb5934a82eead99fc414b90c7ab5725ec3f50afbe56df45ca1cf170ef326354f" }, { "bytes": 7571, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3868ce4573c4961f61967507af6fae6f636070bde38374b2155769869bde251b" }, { "bytes": 7258, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "cc2cd50ba28db446cc5a86294451e331becd8949c1c6384a877fa79d038eb921" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102243/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102243", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-719c-9bb3-6a5cad7e990e" } XuH2TOM9u52KMxEEnWXpGnPSkrZep4Bxb/r9x6vTdZfigmnOfQNNUyAkRv/ig32CYEtk5NqCTVGzHGNSfYAFCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: XuH2TOM9u52KMxEEnWXpGnPSkrZep4Bxb/r9x6vTdZfigmnOfQNNUyAkRv/ig32CYEtk5NqCTVGzHGNSfYAFCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17531,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f8b65efc57e287b8d36290e7a98187dad8d6e8131f8afb21365d6fe3576acc93"},{"bytes":7365,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f9c9e7c6b3f3aa67bfd44fe65577919dd5d6be73604bf12f4de2b152c07806b6"},{"bytes":7052,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"93a4e85f902babebdad98e39ab3534583afbc84dd08cde22df9cbc8402d959da"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"bebefcf6fbb5695826d6fadd256e2fdafd1687aa2cdefa9efa8099230fb04d4d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"79e3828842b49b5871538c4b5010d02baeccdf7afd341bfe62d326f240d62ca9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"25a10612077c29d7710ec729ad37f25c86946a6a64e864c311bd18e37241bcf6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102244"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102244
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102244

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
93a4e85f902babebdad98e39ab3534583afbc84dd08cde22df9cbc8402d959da

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102244, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102244" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102244 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102244 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17531, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f8b65efc57e287b8d36290e7a98187dad8d6e8131f8afb21365d6fe3576acc93" }, { "bytes": 7365, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f9c9e7c6b3f3aa67bfd44fe65577919dd5d6be73604bf12f4de2b152c07806b6" }, { "bytes": 7052, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "93a4e85f902babebdad98e39ab3534583afbc84dd08cde22df9cbc8402d959da" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102244/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102244", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7b25-9958-3093bb1cd7f0" } Kl4CYE1bzuqKYST1I/yvnLB4VtkpahlbcHCcNpIB/uwVLFKL4ViK28Clg7PvmCZ1F4KhWJvAO24//zhL5x/5Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Kl4CYE1bzuqKYST1I/yvnLB4VtkpahlbcHCcNpIB/uwVLFKL4ViK28Clg7PvmCZ1F4KhWJvAO24//zhL5x/5Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":16983,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ac0bb6f31d474127036ebdf821e6e5362577872d9d4ea938b8404f4048e2b84e"},{"bytes":6884,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ff1954218caba2a2f8f74804aad2a1e82aaaeedb233e690011932b2f3eab61a6"},{"bytes":6574,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"99f62afbf0cf14338227ca1e7b19f8d4977da6578465685e28301e264d222d52"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"197f0d8ecfe50e96b29433f196f58ed214d925ef1d9d564d09f3bc1993be3f4a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2a67ee93462caaf245b230ce8f53a985fe0fbf859976c96b8597400ae2842a5b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"29f47a216afef4d11f10fb6315d3e5fdd8306eab5151d8c9984a7a73fd737249"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102245"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102245
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102245

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
99f62afbf0cf14338227ca1e7b19f8d4977da6578465685e28301e264d222d52

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102245, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102245" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102245 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102245 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16983, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ac0bb6f31d474127036ebdf821e6e5362577872d9d4ea938b8404f4048e2b84e" }, { "bytes": 6884, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ff1954218caba2a2f8f74804aad2a1e82aaaeedb233e690011932b2f3eab61a6" }, { "bytes": 6574, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "99f62afbf0cf14338227ca1e7b19f8d4977da6578465685e28301e264d222d52" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102245/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102245", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7da8-a4c8-1550ae596d63" } ntm4xlsscp0YahzHIWmQ5tB1Pjliok3owcoEZuZraF2R3HZiKwlKoiOTpFEvjvSPPbDFXNxno3w53s2iNUM6Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ntm4xlsscp0YahzHIWmQ5tB1Pjliok3owcoEZuZraF2R3HZiKwlKoiOTpFEvjvSPPbDFXNxno3w53s2iNUM6Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":17781,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bb9ac77af143c3983d904219e8a83bacbcbc294e87dd69a7508cdf91b5213185"},{"bytes":7572,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"93268981ff27bb7f098301927b7f3aa1538bf0b7af6eadf749d5008edc8f6d8f"},{"bytes":7259,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"304070793b3de8e196010c3dcb64ed55d613940cf3244f362de1bcad4b240ac4"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"328935e0ea59b7895e88d527c3456110d50d10ef46f9eb74339a2db5c81eb62f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"74b44df1795fdc0f73a4e40efa1e4d6f16c2da632b075d6d6cab61c590c820b9"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9c577d44da29bd01222a4f3eebfbc9277dbc125192bb38da6c0584f60d906a1f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102246"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102246
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102246

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
304070793b3de8e196010c3dcb64ed55d613940cf3244f362de1bcad4b240ac4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102246, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102246" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102246 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102246 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17781, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bb9ac77af143c3983d904219e8a83bacbcbc294e87dd69a7508cdf91b5213185" }, { "bytes": 7572, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "93268981ff27bb7f098301927b7f3aa1538bf0b7af6eadf749d5008edc8f6d8f" }, { "bytes": 7259, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "304070793b3de8e196010c3dcb64ed55d613940cf3244f362de1bcad4b240ac4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102246/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102246", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7850-bc4e-65435f974963" } zNd5t2Y7XC8zZOuaizhZDM0iWAoMG4BJsSGtdDs8h0vXf9jCqZHFOJJljZh37nyS0T5QaRdQxs0Jdgd2rce6Bw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: zNd5t2Y7XC8zZOuaizhZDM0iWAoMG4BJsSGtdDs8h0vXf9jCqZHFOJJljZh37nyS0T5QaRdQxs0Jdgd2rce6Bw== {"files":[{"bytes":17532,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f085300f48bbc72964bc7b94a013585fbb1157dcf109e52e6ab858d3f4800213"},{"bytes":7366,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"63bea3a61c66ded5af11c548739dd9fdf96d72a822777efdd9ac16733914b69b"},{"bytes":7053,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f123c19b6c94a100ad8a1e4d49718750ba9665a74040519191b0d79d8cb1917d"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c4e2caa9415927f91e995b20aa91e0eb6365ed2b107c417f2220ba49a3c712e5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6ee956b5e95a663dd20ab9c6f0459d8b51c0792aceb04c974fe56e357fbbcd0c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"22086383ed98f7c6ae59018eca4cfbab1c91c250039a1fa0b6d3917fa652108a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102247"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102247
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102247

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f123c19b6c94a100ad8a1e4d49718750ba9665a74040519191b0d79d8cb1917d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102247, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102247" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102247 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102247 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17532, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f085300f48bbc72964bc7b94a013585fbb1157dcf109e52e6ab858d3f4800213" }, { "bytes": 7366, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "63bea3a61c66ded5af11c548739dd9fdf96d72a822777efdd9ac16733914b69b" }, { "bytes": 7053, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f123c19b6c94a100ad8a1e4d49718750ba9665a74040519191b0d79d8cb1917d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102247/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102247", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-71b1-95da-0f860196f1ee" } Eq1aYAPLlOA3ZX4AyjDEka5yXFoUAAEkOefKyjyYWDeyP9u85wLD/ArpdBEd1PoxrZCrPqjUQ7Bf0e0RqpqjDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Eq1aYAPLlOA3ZX4AyjDEka5yXFoUAAEkOefKyjyYWDeyP9u85wLD/ArpdBEd1PoxrZCrPqjUQ7Bf0e0RqpqjDA== {"files":[{"bytes":16987,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ada3cbfe48af52bba88dc447ea778b932f94c0520291ea4b9620919700523581"},{"bytes":6888,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"970a41d6f5ef5d8ecd67680854ad730729595ea5380387043986120ebd381d5c"},{"bytes":6578,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7010730a195c5a4933f73fa75d698acbe12ab5d2a7dcf280398951737d46f48e"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"92703f230824280e2437bf7ce67663e93be98f04f6f9aed504d687bf263de0d5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"7ad2762f7c1f91cc2c00da48d61b54474b6d954c448533c3f9f676c07fe3c09e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5f8bb26512c3b08e6725b3c12b1f58291bb53082fcaa78b5159e911ff8b93065"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102248"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102248
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102248

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
7010730a195c5a4933f73fa75d698acbe12ab5d2a7dcf280398951737d46f48e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102248, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102248.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102248" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102248" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102248 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102248 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102248 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102248 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102249

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
af8079aec11282c6d6bee710cef187d10253ecf692b41ee2959908897f6930e4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102249, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102249" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102249 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102249 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17785, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "14fe54ad8b0ce97bcf8465182c9c52ae231e3a6c357fc9246e93016d32322484" }, { "bytes": 7576, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d1071c699d4e813a5387c0da5ca2a05ea92e03603dec0ea4338729093514e559" }, { "bytes": 7263, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "af8079aec11282c6d6bee710cef187d10253ecf692b41ee2959908897f6930e4" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102249/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102249", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7503-a0ff-ae6a58e5f1b7" } tG/4s9cg3gab5y1xoX81cJLtvZwH/jW9a7WGdEx6HAH9ZLCEGBMuo9yCqOblmK0nRCXzRlwvuOiV2BAzYXkUAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: tG/4s9cg3gab5y1xoX81cJLtvZwH/jW9a7WGdEx6HAH9ZLCEGBMuo9yCqOblmK0nRCXzRlwvuOiV2BAzYXkUAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17536,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fdfea9235697da9d362a77dbcbc5404e9cd1c486311b99d389145e3da59ca352"},{"bytes":7370,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"cb1645d2bedfee5437018603e59aedaf47124a489e4b3a842b748a2aab854338"},{"bytes":7057,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"08ef52059cfd7f31cedf7e4fdd1ac4d70f34457da108c86b9bd03d7d28023b1c"},{"bytes":2782,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c5d1746374f5f0562cb7d6bbe5725222e960ae21eb4e004ebeac21f9a01804d3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"026568a9842f892965b08d1928b98525ad96a17cc45debd45d1353d0ff60d1c6"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1fa69c2b1cf895009a222de855580f0735e05c643c672e7cc23c09dd36a15cc5"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102250"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102250
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102250

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
08ef52059cfd7f31cedf7e4fdd1ac4d70f34457da108c86b9bd03d7d28023b1c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102250, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102250" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102250 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102250 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17536, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fdfea9235697da9d362a77dbcbc5404e9cd1c486311b99d389145e3da59ca352" }, { "bytes": 7370, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "cb1645d2bedfee5437018603e59aedaf47124a489e4b3a842b748a2aab854338" }, { "bytes": 7057, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "08ef52059cfd7f31cedf7e4fdd1ac4d70f34457da108c86b9bd03d7d28023b1c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102250/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102250", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-769c-a69d-a5fb7bc59125" } AJwT7qf4kVxj1KKaAbOfDfd2G/66V6LD1+gQgTzIIFKfq3SIfu9CAgVyJphhB4q0kUSRExckFwjFOt/e1W/TCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: AJwT7qf4kVxj1KKaAbOfDfd2G/66V6LD1+gQgTzIIFKfq3SIfu9CAgVyJphhB4q0kUSRExckFwjFOt/e1W/TCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17155,"name":"index.html","sha256":"00f6a15fc3608dd56a77c959af51ae262bd97a8907b2610bf7d9fe5e40bc768d"},{"bytes":7028,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fcc68dbda9ba7cd8088dd964d0efc90c1d1f2f827829a07ebeb8be8ac29010c3"},{"bytes":6730,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e6546fc4223d639bf8ed2d87d6342c73314ab584aa3650e0d8213785d57f9e9a"},{"bytes":2747,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"1d79b35b92330607dffbb1dd79cedd9dc0fbbc50720fa55ac735a54a8706840a"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"efe62b532ab6f703faa69fe41c36b65a0c40e89df95c7a45a0f8bf4e9ec6db3f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"20e89f1c8ce1f098a3efc97345e48870f42b0bd10b0f66707a5145587efede34"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102251"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102251
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102251

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e6546fc4223d639bf8ed2d87d6342c73314ab584aa3650e0d8213785d57f9e9a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102251, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102251" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102251 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102251 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 976 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17155, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "00f6a15fc3608dd56a77c959af51ae262bd97a8907b2610bf7d9fe5e40bc768d" }, { "bytes": 7028, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "fcc68dbda9ba7cd8088dd964d0efc90c1d1f2f827829a07ebeb8be8ac29010c3" }, { "bytes": 6730, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e6546fc4223d639bf8ed2d87d6342c73314ab584aa3650e0d8213785d57f9e9a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102251/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102251", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7462-b2ed-079a241b3505" } 4vwtb7kG6NVxcTZY5QKxpAxrjvNHRXUqdQ1iPdyIfXAyt9fufPHBUpo17GElWmqRyGJbqCtwGVSfkVwD497OBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4vwtb7kG6NVxcTZY5QKxpAxrjvNHRXUqdQ1iPdyIfXAyt9fufPHBUpo17GElWmqRyGJbqCtwGVSfkVwD497OBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17953,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4aa487c742dc3d9d8cad3d30dde7651cfd5810b0f502c1349ee81b36e48c74f0"},{"bytes":7716,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e8c3375c37ca2ae273abef2b0ba4544ba5962a8a0278f121758312065b7594d9"},{"bytes":7415,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c7492f16ab6c58008ebd68268f063b4d3ba48b8d55fef9006a897d8546c264bb"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"30cdcae05cf8b7a56a4dcec0554ecdd6d12e505ef5074d6722c9e10aed6132d8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d993b3da6e14c42c3907b0e5cdad3fb8abfc5126daa150fbfc8af32c7a2b3a14"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"49de65e79931ee5915445b86eb4d772a4878503480fb253c23127f8ed7cbfac4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102252"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102252
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102252

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c7492f16ab6c58008ebd68268f063b4d3ba48b8d55fef9006a897d8546c264bb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102252, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102252" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102252 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102252 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1081 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17953, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4aa487c742dc3d9d8cad3d30dde7651cfd5810b0f502c1349ee81b36e48c74f0" }, { "bytes": 7716, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e8c3375c37ca2ae273abef2b0ba4544ba5962a8a0278f121758312065b7594d9" }, { "bytes": 7415, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c7492f16ab6c58008ebd68268f063b4d3ba48b8d55fef9006a897d8546c264bb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102252/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102252", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-769b-906f-5b6a13448d1a" } lpSJivYSeix7jEzVX+Tq9cKuHlMH1LGGzUnDW6T1zddWCKgQANPgzni6GtvYSEG0f15w6j57ZE7kkdKWt6FYDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: lpSJivYSeix7jEzVX+Tq9cKuHlMH1LGGzUnDW6T1zddWCKgQANPgzni6GtvYSEG0f15w6j57ZE7kkdKWt6FYDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17704,"name":"index.html","sha256":"7dab428cbc894dc8e9d69a9a4863a90e5206beb9639c1154fb0d254b5f855832"},{"bytes":7510,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"975e364fe643fdad148a6678238233f5dc6c949786f954bb8459882697876cbe"},{"bytes":7209,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8a15f35fd67524afb1e5960d0e25fcdcf03db1800e5a15daa8b12857ac1fb513"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"9a17410a45ffa8de86bb17ac0006badf8287eaabb178aaa05324c03c0cb5ae5b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"d21c0599ee955c6cf67e84c69d80a62ccfd2cbb22366306b707fd4b4f0ede59f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ba1785439e2a8cb2682359a6489ab49bf54ec5e950839a576f91acdd2ca9494f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102253"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102253
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102253

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8a15f35fd67524afb1e5960d0e25fcdcf03db1800e5a15daa8b12857ac1fb513

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102253, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102253" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102253 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102253 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1047 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17704, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7dab428cbc894dc8e9d69a9a4863a90e5206beb9639c1154fb0d254b5f855832" }, { "bytes": 7510, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "975e364fe643fdad148a6678238233f5dc6c949786f954bb8459882697876cbe" }, { "bytes": 7209, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8a15f35fd67524afb1e5960d0e25fcdcf03db1800e5a15daa8b12857ac1fb513" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102253/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102253", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7265-9639-3e344c9ad7be" } KRktjMuaVEO+FtQ6+o4mLAHf6D+bChSUVEEQYuYn816FpOQrxp0PfEoabgCVMDW9vSvgAig6usgh/nnnREyOCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: KRktjMuaVEO+FtQ6+o4mLAHf6D+bChSUVEEQYuYn816FpOQrxp0PfEoabgCVMDW9vSvgAig6usgh/nnnREyOCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17101,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f7efd34212e0bdc76a31322124be47649edc0657a7b62da676bdf9a901d1bd75"},{"bytes":6974,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8100c5acd05f4a0b87a4a196735f9c7e7bd42ba8fb28b1f9ec600be9d34da982"},{"bytes":6676,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f376ddc9ad90ae58e6f76381de4eefe3ea344efcc5a5fd141f33e53f4d6798f4"},{"bytes":2747,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"199a118a46f84c607e6b959cc8af5e58fee74b596658c9eb39d6e95c788d4f9d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2a70c2a967f074945923d47cc2016061535784713cd0d7848edb7998c309949d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"443046cae9b8213b29b06dda6cd22ed55bfdce64aaa14a546c0a265a3b80ea51"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102254"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102254
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102254

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
f376ddc9ad90ae58e6f76381de4eefe3ea344efcc5a5fd141f33e53f4d6798f4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102254, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102254.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102254" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102254" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102254 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102254 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102254 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102254 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102255

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6127661727c21429e78125c81ef0a9593ca2f966329dda4ecc90f8a383ce05d6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102255, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102255" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102255 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102255 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17899, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8386704f7ffae325b8f03c32f5cdb9b5fa7d5c67d8282b3bcc81d9a29a455711" }, { "bytes": 7662, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e41dc7e6e244e78b8f10ebc6acb7319c8c039225b6c5653e811c0f68c821d5ee" }, { "bytes": 7361, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6127661727c21429e78125c81ef0a9593ca2f966329dda4ecc90f8a383ce05d6" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102255/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102255", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7706-959f-a8022ab12b85" } L9jrd0Kgywp8KUdenIJw974+rYJeGMyTQA2qzp8qNW0Z1G8zZm6ss/mIfeVMsqc7TcqNu84mKIVY6BihDiDVDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: L9jrd0Kgywp8KUdenIJw974+rYJeGMyTQA2qzp8qNW0Z1G8zZm6ss/mIfeVMsqc7TcqNu84mKIVY6BihDiDVDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17650,"name":"index.html","sha256":"37c6835976722232e854e20b364d08220f1c10609a8477dc68042679b9eb3c02"},{"bytes":7456,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"81fdbc977668a26ff63cb5128469eb1106aacf0d747badb9ed399974e3d31416"},{"bytes":7155,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e65fc60f652f7952a46143b763a2a539476481ec9fc3b88c1cb4c32312d9d496"},{"bytes":2757,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4397633c0e64a51424137c92c5a3b77979b6a1ab382b38d70bc863a6020991c2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0c598a66bd9e573aff62a4ef45afb7fc7113ea007aee8b883ad1448314744d1f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"879c39fb6a4c5ddf029945c7b067f4a62a9c3514471f7b4bba41ad949d0c3557"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102256"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102256
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102256

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
e65fc60f652f7952a46143b763a2a539476481ec9fc3b88c1cb4c32312d9d496

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102256, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102256" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102256 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102256 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17650, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "37c6835976722232e854e20b364d08220f1c10609a8477dc68042679b9eb3c02" }, { "bytes": 7456, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "81fdbc977668a26ff63cb5128469eb1106aacf0d747badb9ed399974e3d31416" }, { "bytes": 7155, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "e65fc60f652f7952a46143b763a2a539476481ec9fc3b88c1cb4c32312d9d496" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102256/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102256", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-773c-9860-ca9297fe908d" } 12+wnFGIdXz9ayauhzq/mZ1MnDYgo+D3YzMA3atWwWry+shc08mETfbu9Tbxo3YwXNAgRKX0Y/YWChfkqxuCDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 12+wnFGIdXz9ayauhzq/mZ1MnDYgo+D3YzMA3atWwWry+shc08mETfbu9Tbxo3YwXNAgRKX0Y/YWChfkqxuCDA== {"files":[{"bytes":16876,"name":"index.html","sha256":"48c15157b2796bb0dae4a4278b65b6175ccfddf03c5e5f125e2486982c6dc103"},{"bytes":6793,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"519ba06027ee0e74ec057d77c81ccd0bb1e1ac756c7559ea3240b5fe6d0dcf31"},{"bytes":6491,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1a81d9589e4e17acdf94bde8221e70fadedc6ec94aa15a4d2633f404aa231a9b"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8eb0c9ae76cc6e501dda3b550b10c5cf87ddda42a822f17d8de467e3154ce7a6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0ebb8cd943d1335b7d6aa8b8e2488f6e9de236033295d9ce926ebd1b3c159a3e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0b15156ee7765d5138ce8245d67e2dc5c66a8ab2cdf2b934a80cc225d998fe61"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102257"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102257
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102257

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
1a81d9589e4e17acdf94bde8221e70fadedc6ec94aa15a4d2633f404aa231a9b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102257, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102257" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102257 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102257 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16876, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "48c15157b2796bb0dae4a4278b65b6175ccfddf03c5e5f125e2486982c6dc103" }, { "bytes": 6793, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "519ba06027ee0e74ec057d77c81ccd0bb1e1ac756c7559ea3240b5fe6d0dcf31" }, { "bytes": 6491, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1a81d9589e4e17acdf94bde8221e70fadedc6ec94aa15a4d2633f404aa231a9b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102257/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102257", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-796a-b012-335b2dea8479" } cszs1qqAtF0CJgo31TuKnXn3REDIov6q01WgCNVlIMizPyttLF88IntJS02s1rBoNqVezZOanyTOr1Xt5ttDDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: cszs1qqAtF0CJgo31TuKnXn3REDIov6q01WgCNVlIMizPyttLF88IntJS02s1rBoNqVezZOanyTOr1Xt5ttDDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17674,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5b5b8eedf69f66ed3c598addb24b4e9aca3706a03e6bcded9a81afe46fa48cb0"},{"bytes":7481,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"744bf7f1ddcf456b3dafb3449a00dc9862228d1813b72391dc5ec4db4be607f2"},{"bytes":7176,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"61d220784a2612602f3f832cb813429fd7693152635f439d3e4c2360dca7bc7e"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"eade7b79b7b8a241e315c94c6859fb0971bedd4c12054421df637203a2588cc4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"959027efc915a8c7beb27c350ec528cefe76e3e79582bbc0e5101039c1836eac"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"fc53a38fe93a478db23f183363099ed44d362664657df9cc3183e536ab2dcad8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102258"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102258
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102258

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
61d220784a2612602f3f832cb813429fd7693152635f439d3e4c2360dca7bc7e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102258, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102258" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102258 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102258 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17674, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5b5b8eedf69f66ed3c598addb24b4e9aca3706a03e6bcded9a81afe46fa48cb0" }, { "bytes": 7481, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "744bf7f1ddcf456b3dafb3449a00dc9862228d1813b72391dc5ec4db4be607f2" }, { "bytes": 7176, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "61d220784a2612602f3f832cb813429fd7693152635f439d3e4c2360dca7bc7e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102258/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102258", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7d8f-a39a-de414774b0a6" } LfoycIqKR6i//p9tveTibiIEJlpCe7rNRthVaC0Ds0EIytoNr1OPdnrGFm+l+S0SfdKy4WpNLLBjxwAllfNiBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: LfoycIqKR6i//p9tveTibiIEJlpCe7rNRthVaC0Ds0EIytoNr1OPdnrGFm+l+S0SfdKy4WpNLLBjxwAllfNiBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17425,"name":"index.html","sha256":"93edaadfb721bac4f101381c6d8f81198903c98dbc5e6171b9d6be1bb53ff4bc"},{"bytes":7275,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"47f0fd2576b5728ba58c6ba6c02b24ebec95666a99de398cd3737785cc5f2510"},{"bytes":6970,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6e90873982776d93d2c274eab174cbebee98617e9b3a79ea6e08e2694e82fb0c"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"17ded5fea8c32d4542234292d8bd27c63f087d17365b40d9d418d23ffd0ef2e6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f6a71786987e9cc39bd1dba2d384afcc3e5e50075bdcf1e7754d1b4a4b114356"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"1aaf38546b88b445d63a654d1e50283e714bd4918436aa33f2b7469513c42be4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102259"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102259
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102259

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
6e90873982776d93d2c274eab174cbebee98617e9b3a79ea6e08e2694e82fb0c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102259, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102259" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102259 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102259 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17425, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "93edaadfb721bac4f101381c6d8f81198903c98dbc5e6171b9d6be1bb53ff4bc" }, { "bytes": 7275, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "47f0fd2576b5728ba58c6ba6c02b24ebec95666a99de398cd3737785cc5f2510" }, { "bytes": 6970, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6e90873982776d93d2c274eab174cbebee98617e9b3a79ea6e08e2694e82fb0c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102259/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102259", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-79d9-a4cb-db7a26e4528e" } WC6zIrzIBQtn3vXhNntun5WYUpuZwLgyPnC2wAXwW9OPzZc4Qx619KSKwNsBx7+t5HThcNzPxvYKZ+yK+D52BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: WC6zIrzIBQtn3vXhNntun5WYUpuZwLgyPnC2wAXwW9OPzZc4Qx619KSKwNsBx7+t5HThcNzPxvYKZ+yK+D52BA== {"files":[{"bytes":16876,"name":"index.html","sha256":"46caf7a097cd717c7b04aa05cbfe01f3a1e01d1cd5917c71bf6a8769e0beaea9"},{"bytes":6793,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"348a4a7ae3c57f7c59c279ab1c9c40cbcc77f312ecc19b66e259a994086a78f6"},{"bytes":6491,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c1cee25b6d45bf3ad4434b8da1d403ccc12af0e7bf844f528498416ef6cfdb9d"},{"bytes":2764,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"038a42d4c14fb9c89bcd8bf030828b7715253ae164e14a86a4ea32f396add06e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f4123634533930edc7fbd921c63715e7f267529e66f4f0c54185e8015af4b7c4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d496e9e99bb309e216c0d97c3b6a77a80321d8138154cd621b87426c1c9ab521"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102260"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102260
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102260

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
c1cee25b6d45bf3ad4434b8da1d403ccc12af0e7bf844f528498416ef6cfdb9d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102260, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102260.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102260" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102260" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102260 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102260 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102260 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102260 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102261

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b062224c1e25c02abd00ba686231e50caa9416d9a110744b4d5159270c3b1895

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102261, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102261" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102261 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102261 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17674, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "7013fa4e723a6f8f39b7ae0fdf1bfa8a80701d68250ac3b57245281ecefc85dc" }, { "bytes": 7481, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "27f6b35feef9b67897b40e7c3bcfb1a76f93645edd22ab6b27b3bce4146fb4c9" }, { "bytes": 7176, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b062224c1e25c02abd00ba686231e50caa9416d9a110744b4d5159270c3b1895" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102261/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102261", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7318-a560-fab547403d30" } HzLXgFi9RVRGFOsWwIFcMzUMsmHG9gz73hH94mSsZVGCVa9XSDC1swfhKN9W0Uji85QMFnTM48FKJu2a8/bgCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: HzLXgFi9RVRGFOsWwIFcMzUMsmHG9gz73hH94mSsZVGCVa9XSDC1swfhKN9W0Uji85QMFnTM48FKJu2a8/bgCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17425,"name":"index.html","sha256":"52ed8bbfdf6a2f836bb27d01764b8fb20a36fc2971fceb69f4bcdd8a115f103b"},{"bytes":7275,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"de835989f423224d675dd0374e4120d4615748f998dbec13ce144aca4d2b27bb"},{"bytes":6970,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c5001bec27052557ba505980497bdc9b47a519a784f6718bc6ccaf81758a134f"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"712bc6ada1b6daa268222c342bf3068a7a6c74cb124f425dbca24c5788f0c28e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"401c784d5f05cd24c0439a0380a600ce6706ac27083dd2d96ccc1886b01d19e5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3747f302061b76636a25ab7afcc0ee143c572c97ae2944de81eaf2ad6c993d8f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102262"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102262
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102262

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
c5001bec27052557ba505980497bdc9b47a519a784f6718bc6ccaf81758a134f

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102262, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102262" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102262 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has two stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: two (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102262 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17425, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "52ed8bbfdf6a2f836bb27d01764b8fb20a36fc2971fceb69f4bcdd8a115f103b" }, { "bytes": 7275, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "de835989f423224d675dd0374e4120d4615748f998dbec13ce144aca4d2b27bb" }, { "bytes": 6970, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "c5001bec27052557ba505980497bdc9b47a519a784f6718bc6ccaf81758a134f" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102262/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102262", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, two stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-76f1-9860-b084db03e6a0" } aGB41tpCp4GvPaIHoq62lw+ScxoWvEopkhyQXoGuCXo6CDqRRWvPsFq4gcS3UHOFbLhnc4tH74WmFnoNB5IODg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: aGB41tpCp4GvPaIHoq62lw+ScxoWvEopkhyQXoGuCXo6CDqRRWvPsFq4gcS3UHOFbLhnc4tH74WmFnoNB5IODg== {"files":[{"bytes":16994,"name":"index.html","sha256":"993fad32af3191d394f69fbcaf74d75ef9e8a720a5f4e3b2b140c9f87e198dae"},{"bytes":6891,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2893a9c27232813b1295f5d30052d1584b54d16684217f1a1320a98c6151d4c5"},{"bytes":6579,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"bcc78db9b0bc654f62d7796573d85298477377b8162b70f14519c38154e67f49"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a9bb94297db6a9c02dd5acfb3684bf37b44b10fc53c55a705df6cf2b7cd63ba6"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"030b13b66caf02f74997459e290fc43c12254364b63fae227eaa81d683e1c739"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f0bd4921dc2e22699b0d1a9ea84c0e66fd75fc03c139ab556880e78cb8d8d0fb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102263"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102263
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102263

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
bcc78db9b0bc654f62d7796573d85298477377b8162b70f14519c38154e67f49

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102263, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102263" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102263 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102263 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16994, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "993fad32af3191d394f69fbcaf74d75ef9e8a720a5f4e3b2b140c9f87e198dae" }, { "bytes": 6891, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2893a9c27232813b1295f5d30052d1584b54d16684217f1a1320a98c6151d4c5" }, { "bytes": 6579, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "bcc78db9b0bc654f62d7796573d85298477377b8162b70f14519c38154e67f49" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102263/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102263", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-73df-a531-a8bd0c672ca4" } QdintxiRIsiGF58gguKavGl+YUTsrX7FSqZhmRPM5qbWelpTaaqa1vBYaFnzlkyYvuBYrGnkPW63YFAabB81Aw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: QdintxiRIsiGF58gguKavGl+YUTsrX7FSqZhmRPM5qbWelpTaaqa1vBYaFnzlkyYvuBYrGnkPW63YFAabB81Aw== {"files":[{"bytes":17792,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e1e1505b422f6a3aaeec6d117cc079a52568c605f72012095eebace078a3943f"},{"bytes":7579,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"beaecee20b18ee7fa524d7ddd3b2ab080dfdacf843872b2ff6f2f45307159fc3"},{"bytes":7264,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"074fc31526a16bff3b6f100bf61788974398b73d7185ad018114f3d6e43adc35"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fb450eb83d4c241da545d33bc0cec77a94b76941d3539d4af0d376253188c6ea"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"fa8943f522a715888139f032b56315e635c779db1733379d7dad27eeffc74717"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9bb7a71fbeaae22d6b22c975ea87bba57f18bea59b5ff595595af913a05d4a12"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102264"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102264
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102264

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
074fc31526a16bff3b6f100bf61788974398b73d7185ad018114f3d6e43adc35

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102264, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102264" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102264 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102264 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17792, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e1e1505b422f6a3aaeec6d117cc079a52568c605f72012095eebace078a3943f" }, { "bytes": 7579, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "beaecee20b18ee7fa524d7ddd3b2ab080dfdacf843872b2ff6f2f45307159fc3" }, { "bytes": 7264, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "074fc31526a16bff3b6f100bf61788974398b73d7185ad018114f3d6e43adc35" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102264/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102264", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-77b0-8318-4bcda89642d6" } SXHdFAYuk3B1oUIO50tKSsU4LgTNlOeFQd8QEa4zR0aDVB5j0LjTPnwuvgbsoMazFIJVrG9e+hs8TZn3nEaCAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: SXHdFAYuk3B1oUIO50tKSsU4LgTNlOeFQd8QEa4zR0aDVB5j0LjTPnwuvgbsoMazFIJVrG9e+hs8TZn3nEaCAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17543,"name":"index.html","sha256":"eb4b5e23b98799e3c5cd912b8dd8477879f7fa0618c8962735e1a35e6cb0eda4"},{"bytes":7373,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"48bf2fee73558da05d5d77621b19cd2e97e871a4e9f48e9b3d7aa607d95a0414"},{"bytes":7058,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"11105aaefb59dfb50c1894a345b9d26e8dc47bf30220260b2ca0b0f55db7b945"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7f82afc81ac00188d38cc8da8fb9f6f77a72268fc1acbfd86ffb8cacfd7116ea"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6700e2aa158422971f40dd003bebd84e0870499f77192da333680c2f393c16b4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"3b868e5e4e9ab590f992df809b20a235f344b364fa298d7caefb9b5ab627cd66"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102265"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102265
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102265

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
11105aaefb59dfb50c1894a345b9d26e8dc47bf30220260b2ca0b0f55db7b945

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102265, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102265" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102265 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102265 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17543, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "eb4b5e23b98799e3c5cd912b8dd8477879f7fa0618c8962735e1a35e6cb0eda4" }, { "bytes": 7373, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "48bf2fee73558da05d5d77621b19cd2e97e871a4e9f48e9b3d7aa607d95a0414" }, { "bytes": 7058, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "11105aaefb59dfb50c1894a345b9d26e8dc47bf30220260b2ca0b0f55db7b945" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102265/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102265", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7b9b-b30f-05196e9d0583" } bTcn2k74LcQHEqDaT8o4vfAhdu9hVjdan4xtq5FlkUXc2MOiUGjgKKAqrmIMQDymz50iEwlpIM/fxTfG/zlwCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bTcn2k74LcQHEqDaT8o4vfAhdu9hVjdan4xtq5FlkUXc2MOiUGjgKKAqrmIMQDymz50iEwlpIM/fxTfG/zlwCg== {"files":[{"bytes":16995,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f7643a7d3137ae90a47c889120bced882795d50ec70cc3e1481423754868f57a"},{"bytes":6892,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7fce5ca1322640f0681f8e02bb9407a6ade55e9c508bb1b00a98335ea7e57bbd"},{"bytes":6580,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"af91a66ae076ab9544af7093de1a0a8cd66d1e68380384fd8a072d80203edc1a"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"642e5cefd52e70ba479608b056fe7aef6e82a139012b5e6b48ab59c09b2fd071"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3738c729f12b44fdba59db0ac59ffde01d80cddec5e99cbe76e279e1a6c14022"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c85de47aa55adb0ea9ba323a0628686839f99205e22a85fc0e05cc8d1c703226"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102266"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102266
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102266

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
af91a66ae076ab9544af7093de1a0a8cd66d1e68380384fd8a072d80203edc1a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102266, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102266" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102266 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102266 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16995, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f7643a7d3137ae90a47c889120bced882795d50ec70cc3e1481423754868f57a" }, { "bytes": 6892, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "7fce5ca1322640f0681f8e02bb9407a6ade55e9c508bb1b00a98335ea7e57bbd" }, { "bytes": 6580, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "af91a66ae076ab9544af7093de1a0a8cd66d1e68380384fd8a072d80203edc1a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102266/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102266", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7c70-9d63-d07468314b20" } 6/DJ6PsEvwcFK0V8bqNVY05SHEGEsVA+29XTSRxcq3FwXi89ir2QEOQeHblxhSjkHCy58Gq33ZllIbMnPEQwCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 6/DJ6PsEvwcFK0V8bqNVY05SHEGEsVA+29XTSRxcq3FwXi89ir2QEOQeHblxhSjkHCy58Gq33ZllIbMnPEQwCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17793,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d5177ed48958b599c8dc2c00b1775ad4a398f61adcc4191c0a33ffb3b16b9ae5"},{"bytes":7580,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"96939f5f8c4c61d102842adfa2caeb9ad52441c1b9b2d9c47c054d494007e7b7"},{"bytes":7265,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f048b66ffb32bbb76157bb7324fb8f3ab6135af91114e8dfe11e21198c7e2395"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"841e06a7dc8f3ad15e06a6939dcde4d0a8de4f51fc37e763f189a63a04366f08"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c22bcd749c3bb6b666ddbe7b4da85ce524d612c3dc5c772aa8bba0e675edc4fa"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"302f2a6699d06509d551dd4345f79841a7857e2bb127573cbec5acdc22798b7c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102267"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102267
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102267

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f048b66ffb32bbb76157bb7324fb8f3ab6135af91114e8dfe11e21198c7e2395

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102267, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102267" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102267 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102267 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17793, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d5177ed48958b599c8dc2c00b1775ad4a398f61adcc4191c0a33ffb3b16b9ae5" }, { "bytes": 7580, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "96939f5f8c4c61d102842adfa2caeb9ad52441c1b9b2d9c47c054d494007e7b7" }, { "bytes": 7265, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f048b66ffb32bbb76157bb7324fb8f3ab6135af91114e8dfe11e21198c7e2395" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102267/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102267", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-718c-9653-c8c2fa26e17d" } MYS/8R8VPZb3nPdaschprUi7T5K5wrNFNJoR5c+FohZo/v8jKA6+aTEeyriaohnbTtiDI94ZB9gyX/QlCHisBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: MYS/8R8VPZb3nPdaschprUi7T5K5wrNFNJoR5c+FohZo/v8jKA6+aTEeyriaohnbTtiDI94ZB9gyX/QlCHisBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17544,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fdb06e3f0aac1172a00bbfa3f64d7fc757e4fffd3b37fdf7d3003d221b1e8010"},{"bytes":7374,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"0ae13de436fc96c5f37b93ee836ae668d5c811cf5e8a3f82be4d8c4952163737"},{"bytes":7059,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9ea9088a0e926288d1a8a647fb08d9446a8854d4d911d0aebd44c621cedb3d93"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"84fb86eb7e9e08ae412ff2fffe7e6df92482cc241d3850ea98add61aa42bf9c8"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2fd3fac3c3db3bd93308cc16b7dfab4d165f10acbe565ceb73f7f386374d4ed4"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"175829f10f3ba60029dc900769bbc193dfb7e0bbb021cccfbcd59ef6e5be3734"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102268"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102268
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102268

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9ea9088a0e926288d1a8a647fb08d9446a8854d4d911d0aebd44c621cedb3d93

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102268, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102268" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102268 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102268 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17544, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "fdb06e3f0aac1172a00bbfa3f64d7fc757e4fffd3b37fdf7d3003d221b1e8010" }, { "bytes": 7374, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0ae13de436fc96c5f37b93ee836ae668d5c811cf5e8a3f82be4d8c4952163737" }, { "bytes": 7059, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9ea9088a0e926288d1a8a647fb08d9446a8854d4d911d0aebd44c621cedb3d93" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102268/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102268", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-72fa-9c79-9fa6e1803ace" } MXAWv2q4KFxM1zkPsB0/HSgTXyoOfzPGDaCQrPgC7z+GROGfBImNVWU0ddDQPpvgLBIAEOBjrSdziidIzW0tCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: MXAWv2q4KFxM1zkPsB0/HSgTXyoOfzPGDaCQrPgC7z+GROGfBImNVWU0ddDQPpvgLBIAEOBjrSdziidIzW0tCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16999,"name":"index.html","sha256":"503171935ad98766269b486e94b8f2e1eb926666d300ea5557ffa15f4e307418"},{"bytes":6896,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6eeedcc31b5f9b936da14963f87d5f3a92ab5182b3351720f5e998fda49e8086"},{"bytes":6584,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9851cd7c244082a64e42ab3910db897c19876378c841b2656f994c6547a02f67"},{"bytes":2774,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"7f5925f7a721ea4a22402df45793bbad1c33ddb92855c9782342ebb3ee9061f5"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0c7b25e1cf693471e08c2a0f2f99691817102b7c64c203c7a2a45e032d09db6d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"50fe46e66bf09f9b4131d168c47cda352cd98479164464db6e4725d3808d8c18"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102269"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102269
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102269

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
9851cd7c244082a64e42ab3910db897c19876378c841b2656f994c6547a02f67

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102269, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102269" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102269 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102269 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16999, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "503171935ad98766269b486e94b8f2e1eb926666d300ea5557ffa15f4e307418" }, { "bytes": 6896, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6eeedcc31b5f9b936da14963f87d5f3a92ab5182b3351720f5e998fda49e8086" }, { "bytes": 6584, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9851cd7c244082a64e42ab3910db897c19876378c841b2656f994c6547a02f67" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102269/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102269", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7879-a86a-40f3cd223272" } 0y9RuwhIOCF426/xPSTATnSqWJVm2H8aE01bhlHZQ8lhSTFFCY+lsi4NqEwLikptLUjXu4zevngM1x/gE24XAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 0y9RuwhIOCF426/xPSTATnSqWJVm2H8aE01bhlHZQ8lhSTFFCY+lsi4NqEwLikptLUjXu4zevngM1x/gE24XAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17797,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ec6868f5dc185a4c3c0a17cb8048b8307f3cab028bab70c5815bfffe49793c9f"},{"bytes":7584,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"18ec8a335d0ac344d250c06b3f78ba4a81a446243d1e658c4a5a735ddcf4e20b"},{"bytes":7269,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0340e61596c569f00fc77b22ce1757813a692a78328e576e1b2a5802f142b19d"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"381c2d8c42650e2186cd0ef0daa38fe2a753067bbde112f51ea034cde7937e1c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3d031ef8c170209fe99fd6a62c99e79b5ab2a4ed7bb7e479fed59928cfe67451"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e88cd847e2c7765b99f034fdd4e6df9e65814ebe25638a22ccb747fd4731657e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102270"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102270
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102270

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0340e61596c569f00fc77b22ce1757813a692a78328e576e1b2a5802f142b19d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102270, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102270" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102270 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102270 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17797, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ec6868f5dc185a4c3c0a17cb8048b8307f3cab028bab70c5815bfffe49793c9f" }, { "bytes": 7584, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "18ec8a335d0ac344d250c06b3f78ba4a81a446243d1e658c4a5a735ddcf4e20b" }, { "bytes": 7269, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0340e61596c569f00fc77b22ce1757813a692a78328e576e1b2a5802f142b19d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102270/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102270", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ec7-8dfe-ea3a7a51f95e" } lR5LUP5+3TXuYroWCsG7aFYWa7lrT42rWQjjVyZAtwDkljvUpp7Bw0b3wCRl6J7ImpkICrAYv2M++EfiB+VSAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: lR5LUP5+3TXuYroWCsG7aFYWa7lrT42rWQjjVyZAtwDkljvUpp7Bw0b3wCRl6J7ImpkICrAYv2M++EfiB+VSAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17548,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e851d3da595b7202209966b675353ed42d023b7485d46c30e0517ecab5ac4de8"},{"bytes":7378,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"02d527e9c0e49c79800b06b115f04768b15ed86264a8ceedcd0dd40682da48e1"},{"bytes":7063,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f3d3a65f4944f8a0f332b7e0d55dd7b5bdef90f9fe1e3b4d384707c3a1f5d9a0"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3a7e835027a1a7b2874723cafb97816f038cade6d75c2113fdf28a03d50a5ec0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bb0d565cb8c05011e73c0ed9b66e7b58e03aa7afcb23ba98df873ea60cb84d01"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"cacf17ff2cdb04d71876ceb27b0afc26b31fed7b4b8b44d0d3ac2b04592a3390"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102271"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102271
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102271

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f3d3a65f4944f8a0f332b7e0d55dd7b5bdef90f9fe1e3b4d384707c3a1f5d9a0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102271, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102271" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102271 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102271 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17548, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e851d3da595b7202209966b675353ed42d023b7485d46c30e0517ecab5ac4de8" }, { "bytes": 7378, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "02d527e9c0e49c79800b06b115f04768b15ed86264a8ceedcd0dd40682da48e1" }, { "bytes": 7063, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f3d3a65f4944f8a0f332b7e0d55dd7b5bdef90f9fe1e3b4d384707c3a1f5d9a0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102271/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102271", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-74f0-8e1d-1018acc28587" } Ot9/DHHSneCrPymefF4E3gwnoTFzNyPD1DSdxsmnUW7zimhQKflFuQiRZ0m8H2dszH53PLfGAe09vb6sTi/rDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Ot9/DHHSneCrPymefF4E3gwnoTFzNyPD1DSdxsmnUW7zimhQKflFuQiRZ0m8H2dszH53PLfGAe09vb6sTi/rDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17167,"name":"index.html","sha256":"a1820fc769986c80efaa551c46d0bbb84c137dc594b7fa1d44094bfe141ba372"},{"bytes":7036,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"329b227b1fcbe38735438d566c8fd0dd21f4f3aab8d90ec58f1d89488d532cae"},{"bytes":6736,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"e77beb82ec0b08fdbff0df295520a80aa6b0050c4b565b8f7958feec17bf6356"},{"bytes":2749,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"708461ad5f01c2bdec4bbc487e33a491e5b2e497117acf8041c56b063fb2e58b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"2a1e273c654f1e688ad5053ff648d654de52802437e95c04632a97ee035c0d38"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"dca3f2db1167c9dc2e4d052247a7cdac67ea98b536a26ef3d8ced2bf2d973bd9"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102272"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102272
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102272

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
e77beb82ec0b08fdbff0df295520a80aa6b0050c4b565b8f7958feec17bf6356

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102272, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102272.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102272" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102272" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102272 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102272 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102272 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102272 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102273

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
ec2a00013e6ac1647e2cf885ae830540cdd86e32573651bbef2a90c41492eae6

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102273, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102273.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102273" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102273" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102273 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102273 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102273 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102273 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102274

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
63d63381fd4385f2dac931c31bf69100af128f456a32d681a52f33857bee29c2

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102274, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102274.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102274" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102274" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102274 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102274 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102274 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102274 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102275

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
74cb72cbfd8705fad0d0a36adec0f90bb968c68f05d41b32cf4e049a136f4fe8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102275, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102275" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102275 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102275 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 961 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17113, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3490e08b16c92a1a593006842297750152d87952c227b31ebef0f31a99897e32" }, { "bytes": 6982, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "81dd211d49ba28e1f881c840700f547e30257f8e36984a464ac6c7304283bc7c" }, { "bytes": 6682, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "74cb72cbfd8705fad0d0a36adec0f90bb968c68f05d41b32cf4e049a136f4fe8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102275/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102275", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-70d3-a288-86a36c6410d9" } cxjqL3P6IwLpRzrXISn7FIFIdcjl94Ya6AlZb4QNqd8FE34TTCoMlcViuZ7y7KszvA33SuudojDOisUsmKxlDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: cxjqL3P6IwLpRzrXISn7FIFIdcjl94Ya6AlZb4QNqd8FE34TTCoMlcViuZ7y7KszvA33SuudojDOisUsmKxlDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17911,"name":"index.html","sha256":"84ab9187b715b7c3f2c101b3bc455ec4f7beb9d7e812068abf95585fefa75aa0"},{"bytes":7670,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1712fde313c263f52dcc937341c8376d677f7b013de3ca7d1c82b2585427c97d"},{"bytes":7367,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"50e08aaca133d09bd03bdc7d36634febe5a370fdce8841488ef63624306a769c"},{"bytes":2759,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"34589443749219fbe63338563146727ddcb42d90ff781cbe7b3b001cbe645542"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8d8f743d0e0a9591888545ac5f40ae9b75e31f8a5e81b90a548800cdcfcbc321"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ce7b0cbd68d54048077bb9c37bb787fd5fef7fdd7dfb95d9ff73a3dac18f2def"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102276"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102276
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102276

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
50e08aaca133d09bd03bdc7d36634febe5a370fdce8841488ef63624306a769c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102276, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102276" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102276 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102276 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17911, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "84ab9187b715b7c3f2c101b3bc455ec4f7beb9d7e812068abf95585fefa75aa0" }, { "bytes": 7670, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1712fde313c263f52dcc937341c8376d677f7b013de3ca7d1c82b2585427c97d" }, { "bytes": 7367, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "50e08aaca133d09bd03bdc7d36634febe5a370fdce8841488ef63624306a769c" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102276/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102276", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-75bd-b0db-d9ea39ade9a2" } Q2TxCqkmrZhCJHvWTTJIHoZVPMz/dCsretfOj46FWcj96v0ZsMZ/D1TBoIhmN/Dt+QLYalJEUZoo2y12UezqBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Q2TxCqkmrZhCJHvWTTJIHoZVPMz/dCsretfOj46FWcj96v0ZsMZ/D1TBoIhmN/Dt+QLYalJEUZoo2y12UezqBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17662,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5ceedcd858480f3e9fea25df7656931a7ba3d01d8a0e9fe4710c7080988c7d5a"},{"bytes":7464,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1993c70fe0631828fea960fe99d7e4030a3c84d688ad757a03c1eed6bda714c5"},{"bytes":7161,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3737def2ec99a4561ecf59a59869cadbbf7689fc5eabb79afe0c5c35ae460ed3"},{"bytes":2759,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a0eb0d6621bcf4353cdebd3f23815427593cda10f7e5d1bae0a04e3ce49766cb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"57822ee5da8485235ca769d6b1f887e5bb3ca7ad2a3751dfd92476da9931b896"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"c1ad4bdb727da937207fc5563a7d760aa9ed50046c0a156e0174f6f65a788284"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102277"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102277
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102277

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3737def2ec99a4561ecf59a59869cadbbf7689fc5eabb79afe0c5c35ae460ed3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102277, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102277" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102277 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102277 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17662, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "5ceedcd858480f3e9fea25df7656931a7ba3d01d8a0e9fe4710c7080988c7d5a" }, { "bytes": 7464, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1993c70fe0631828fea960fe99d7e4030a3c84d688ad757a03c1eed6bda714c5" }, { "bytes": 7161, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3737def2ec99a4561ecf59a59869cadbbf7689fc5eabb79afe0c5c35ae460ed3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102277/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102277", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7777-8ebf-275fbfc44c21" } QJJlw02kKTdKOX9HyrTbj8rQzP/SQYTF9XwIRaOXSZDrqLK7S3NviVbLTu/bjssrZ0QTzntZ2HpD4jYfGws6BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: QJJlw02kKTdKOX9HyrTbj8rQzP/SQYTF9XwIRaOXSZDrqLK7S3NviVbLTu/bjssrZ0QTzntZ2HpD4jYfGws6BA== {"files":[{"bytes":16888,"name":"index.html","sha256":"2138c06c3fdb089b09df2371b71ffd68ecb7fdaf2e7927d0e99ce5fdee3dea76"},{"bytes":6801,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6ab3a0dcba4a5f3146a05901086d343dca4ad75c3cd4b857b74df7234bddcc67"},{"bytes":6497,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"ec5b43bcdde57c7856ab242a81d31dcad06cb33c49ae8148141581871841a1b4"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ec0d8f9b62184f7611ce41cca652f7831d27a3b4c9f4bb8a692734ff810c1a0e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"1b5e447a99a78ae42eb4fcf005d460104b931c3b7111f0e793fc1d7b7bccf13c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0d34a410af7d28a8dd6c2d45d33e1fc07e844e65a9757c03ae3a2e33f1bc9f04"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102278"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102278
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102278

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ec5b43bcdde57c7856ab242a81d31dcad06cb33c49ae8148141581871841a1b4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102278, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102278.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102278" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102278" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102278 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102278 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102278 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102278 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102279

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7f8c765dfc92800c1c52e6fe25b96f3a1799493b14e7fdf3d8bf191f9fe1ab29

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102279, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102279" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102279 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102279 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17686, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "55c41f3f947fdaebecb762553b52f897cc7cb4553871733b1494108dfe3c0c49" }, { "bytes": 7489, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5d2a859face92eb3f2c52810c4e92fbf28b529efc1d27765be5fbac8c1286f27" }, { "bytes": 7182, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7f8c765dfc92800c1c52e6fe25b96f3a1799493b14e7fdf3d8bf191f9fe1ab29" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102279/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102279", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7874-ba8c-fe45893e9441" } DvpHGc/dlku3P7R1F+LTp12Os54skZiDZtE84WgNgO7Jx+SU99YMv3I84wUvd8vse7YraUak4+GsQdsk4FAJCQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: DvpHGc/dlku3P7R1F+LTp12Os54skZiDZtE84WgNgO7Jx+SU99YMv3I84wUvd8vse7YraUak4+GsQdsk4FAJCQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17437,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e6403c3e49da2933f7ec37d076cd2f46313a3552a69499c6128736ec76ca325d"},{"bytes":7283,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c4a657590654fd3b83f8c9fc6ac224a808c2ea7a19bb545b933f33538ba1c497"},{"bytes":6976,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7ac891c10e6c314dbe0b999f3130eb8cf176c0cfe6a04dde54e4c3b9c2dfc81d"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c88bb4ad07cba8a3c0da9465f4b68a52410973fd04ca7b1aa43b91e668e473a9"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"54ceab102b4c4e1c8a823d161704036dfdbae5a9713bc4380bd012af461e5671"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d68d3434bf42e66c217e4fc4dd86870e9c5d2e1b39d4354047c07016130fe46b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102280"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102280
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102280

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7ac891c10e6c314dbe0b999f3130eb8cf176c0cfe6a04dde54e4c3b9c2dfc81d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102280, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102280" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102280 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102280 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17437, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "e6403c3e49da2933f7ec37d076cd2f46313a3552a69499c6128736ec76ca325d" }, { "bytes": 7283, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c4a657590654fd3b83f8c9fc6ac224a808c2ea7a19bb545b933f33538ba1c497" }, { "bytes": 6976, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7ac891c10e6c314dbe0b999f3130eb8cf176c0cfe6a04dde54e4c3b9c2dfc81d" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102280/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102280", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-785b-b809-9e43d8f3925f" } A4HL9nsKwiNPeDlQE2Tpl+OpLba0wu90p7lAia0BWUYqwCTYSQ8rc2qiTInKv5va7xxBt+iU9zp1sSfrZU2pAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: A4HL9nsKwiNPeDlQE2Tpl+OpLba0wu90p7lAia0BWUYqwCTYSQ8rc2qiTInKv5va7xxBt+iU9zp1sSfrZU2pAg== {"files":[{"bytes":16888,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b95d7b02b969446c7d23a51918f7fa53951626c84ca8a353a7f3daa2822fff7b"},{"bytes":6801,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e515e745810be31c43e8771c20f18bad97d46945dd6e4f9948deb6b221722a79"},{"bytes":6497,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4a9eb45b3a552f17876a603d462c203553cbc314ec520549a9186eebb0b672db"},{"bytes":2766,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2c8116773b041c6789283695ced58a6a894d9018e71765120401ce5dbe47be97"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8973ea60172397661c80ddc59fb49a126cf3a2af1ee4b97f7937e6b49e3e8cc7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"45376182b2292c453e1f69bee3cdd8b5ccff5b14085d089ab3c3cf002f74068d"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102281"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102281
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102281

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4a9eb45b3a552f17876a603d462c203553cbc314ec520549a9186eebb0b672db

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102281, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102281" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102281 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102281 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16888, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b95d7b02b969446c7d23a51918f7fa53951626c84ca8a353a7f3daa2822fff7b" }, { "bytes": 6801, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e515e745810be31c43e8771c20f18bad97d46945dd6e4f9948deb6b221722a79" }, { "bytes": 6497, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4a9eb45b3a552f17876a603d462c203553cbc314ec520549a9186eebb0b672db" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102281/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102281", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7883-9942-97ce6470bc1c" } 4Uk9r4juzMgSfUk91MrATVxc681/VTWfYMa8TCqIq+iBaNmf1JkheFKHXRncLqkuO/dvX2Xo2tPy9tWNjX9oAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4Uk9r4juzMgSfUk91MrATVxc681/VTWfYMa8TCqIq+iBaNmf1JkheFKHXRncLqkuO/dvX2Xo2tPy9tWNjX9oAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17686,"name":"index.html","sha256":"61751ee012e857993018a7a7d73eae84545c1d19e9c03f037647df2500b5b07a"},{"bytes":7489,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8f33d7480da9cbde68b97ea027ac2cb7c865833159b45c3f5469c5708488899e"},{"bytes":7182,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"08bcfcdbdbd6a6320e13b923abaf92b724e428ef28278eea257609413b7b1dcb"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"051430a06fd1e74a3daee82fbb5c07fcf7dcfb1019a844b287610885e2171f06"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"53e86462f299b5d807858a0c0dc5e45c6344d797b187a3dd5ab2d6aea1908eff"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"046d44f4c04791f4b1f6d3c46aa50cd8b316ab1428d8b6ae83b946a93523b065"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102282"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102282
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102282

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
08bcfcdbdbd6a6320e13b923abaf92b724e428ef28278eea257609413b7b1dcb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102282, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102282" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102282 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102282 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17686, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "61751ee012e857993018a7a7d73eae84545c1d19e9c03f037647df2500b5b07a" }, { "bytes": 7489, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8f33d7480da9cbde68b97ea027ac2cb7c865833159b45c3f5469c5708488899e" }, { "bytes": 7182, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "08bcfcdbdbd6a6320e13b923abaf92b724e428ef28278eea257609413b7b1dcb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102282/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102282", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-71b4-aae2-227299134b6b" } c8mVeoK10t4jkGXi+e+Qdhv65O2TUnygA9piVkAQETnTawQwWx+cEdIfQ67AidgYrnglAuQvAkq7g1XiG2J7Bg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: c8mVeoK10t4jkGXi+e+Qdhv65O2TUnygA9piVkAQETnTawQwWx+cEdIfQ67AidgYrnglAuQvAkq7g1XiG2J7Bg== {"files":[{"bytes":17437,"name":"index.html","sha256":"10f880a09e14160d84035c1cd13adef9565a145be3fe629cac2b9034e5e2577d"},{"bytes":7283,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"ea2106ce4351fc8afdbb090cc78427d36b063d746e115885a4df72c49792f425"},{"bytes":6976,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"80dee3a6a0e81f38ff31eb821b418755de6fa74a3255ed5f6eb2a6e8ed74e459"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"99c5abd38bbe98eb6715d11c8d08cf1612a28c32e3e9d3030bc2707d39ad92f2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"258b7519c58691ddb822c6c07948e5e68726f82e4abf3091ec27fc834a369ea7"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"2490188145731e1dd91e3e666e6d5fdb03c23f6c6c30f25b55b794e23cfd8058"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102283"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102283
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102283

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
80dee3a6a0e81f38ff31eb821b418755de6fa74a3255ed5f6eb2a6e8ed74e459

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102283, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102283" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102283 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has three stages. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: three (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102283 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 995 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17437, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "10f880a09e14160d84035c1cd13adef9565a145be3fe629cac2b9034e5e2577d" }, { "bytes": 7283, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "ea2106ce4351fc8afdbb090cc78427d36b063d746e115885a4df72c49792f425" }, { "bytes": 6976, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "80dee3a6a0e81f38ff31eb821b418755de6fa74a3255ed5f6eb2a6e8ed74e459" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102283/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102283", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, three stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-704b-bad3-452eb7270a35" } n+rxiQKtLVWL0BSR0W2128kCRVAmShDM2jj9iMngKyT/JdfW3fm+F0B05S+WkKTUTjoupgcHf4lqVJogm7ZCDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: n+rxiQKtLVWL0BSR0W2128kCRVAmShDM2jj9iMngKyT/JdfW3fm+F0B05S+WkKTUTjoupgcHf4lqVJogm7ZCDw== {"files":[{"bytes":16648,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dbe7e9e2fa4b6a5176d98757e9e080426a4c0eea7109ddc15c6ce54d2ef494a3"},{"bytes":6657,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a7bf4873b84362da96fad49e84a4b64cf9d811467a45efedc92940530989ec90"},{"bytes":6325,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f8b318518283db6c4d980e12108ca742285ca57c5afb3300677ab6a3dc5a37fb"},{"bytes":2826,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ec00f7dbe0e6c386a3c6b6c3c3751819d1cb913ffbdb1783a801045aa6edb762"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"ef500e2f3efa042246c6090007737e9e0e752f0b109c2efe1f211e521c6a423d"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6f1fa270f1a856a91d699d5758c3cd0a4b1a23bf4b4d004407b38e7cc3a69daf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102284"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102284
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102284

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
f8b318518283db6c4d980e12108ca742285ca57c5afb3300677ab6a3dc5a37fb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102284, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102284" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102284 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102284 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 885 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16648, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "dbe7e9e2fa4b6a5176d98757e9e080426a4c0eea7109ddc15c6ce54d2ef494a3" }, { "bytes": 6657, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a7bf4873b84362da96fad49e84a4b64cf9d811467a45efedc92940530989ec90" }, { "bytes": 6325, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f8b318518283db6c4d980e12108ca742285ca57c5afb3300677ab6a3dc5a37fb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102284/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102284", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7b59-93aa-afcc28e99972" } bEvBXjxZohKkTSNRKZy+7XI/ftr4BqwOmHl5mjWVG8a6hVBMuoeVLuVod5N/FlnxPaUlUhdmRB7DQieA9Q5nAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: bEvBXjxZohKkTSNRKZy+7XI/ftr4BqwOmHl5mjWVG8a6hVBMuoeVLuVod5N/FlnxPaUlUhdmRB7DQieA9Q5nAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17440,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4a99f1518570697be551ed5bd3b739bf7e4cde803a60483cfb4711fdb1dcb938"},{"bytes":7339,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c3fe70684ba828c02feb9e9a80d6217c0970185c46c5fe86ddbee96f0efb8c0c"},{"bytes":7004,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"abc8bea85433a690780b3cdfc5239fce86c7bb2b1dd5dcb08bef509eeefb6865"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a33d66ba54745873e2ec95b8eb671b892661b8db8309c258e2297ff69e9dc4cf"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3abfdfcd1dba5bf582a9abae3573b83b22b3e028a106cbf2cc0c88e361632f2c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9411ebffa1abd4bf0ef68d51c34d88c2544f11a16461bd474c94cafee3c1921a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102285"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102285
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102285

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
abc8bea85433a690780b3cdfc5239fce86c7bb2b1dd5dcb08bef509eeefb6865

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102285, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102285" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102285 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102285 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 990 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17440, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4a99f1518570697be551ed5bd3b739bf7e4cde803a60483cfb4711fdb1dcb938" }, { "bytes": 7339, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c3fe70684ba828c02feb9e9a80d6217c0970185c46c5fe86ddbee96f0efb8c0c" }, { "bytes": 7004, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "abc8bea85433a690780b3cdfc5239fce86c7bb2b1dd5dcb08bef509eeefb6865" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102285/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102285", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7103-ab9f-2eddb59c6125" } VwUZt5h9wU0mLbLC8n9+ueNa91WzaPGHSSUl6yXZEKBZQtV5RZ2KLI7ql3e5SZsX8dLIK01kYpLDlh9mOUhICQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VwUZt5h9wU0mLbLC8n9+ueNa91WzaPGHSSUl6yXZEKBZQtV5RZ2KLI7ql3e5SZsX8dLIK01kYpLDlh9mOUhICQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17191,"name":"index.html","sha256":"52342642bc3777d5326b69b6e4dbc34d0c045b22edeeaf1f39d6ccd6e3fb1db5"},{"bytes":7133,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8986a334df668adda1fcf00dbc1e3874216d18cdd40f99c2d3753142c9b7c8be"},{"bytes":6798,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"994d542e095f82f417fa4ddac3f9c7d532fbd235971ade4d967bd99d37c1e3bb"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"763c9a5b0b9c6690625e090495b821b8ae05655cf3f1067e83c8af20430f3334"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"de88dc51d9e11bbb6d63180ec7c621f8c7b087e02fa2fb6f1d592ddd1a98cc2a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a7d2467858b39b5e55cd6e005d9072ad8aff2435ffda3121f8c836c04d820a43"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102286"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102286
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102286

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
994d542e095f82f417fa4ddac3f9c7d532fbd235971ade4d967bd99d37c1e3bb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102286, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102286" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102286 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102286 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 956 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17191, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "52342642bc3777d5326b69b6e4dbc34d0c045b22edeeaf1f39d6ccd6e3fb1db5" }, { "bytes": 7133, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "8986a334df668adda1fcf00dbc1e3874216d18cdd40f99c2d3753142c9b7c8be" }, { "bytes": 6798, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "994d542e095f82f417fa4ddac3f9c7d532fbd235971ade4d967bd99d37c1e3bb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102286/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102286", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-78f8-b5b0-6e04e0b4ac2c" } Wr9U8r/diKCJxvnk5SDfhsRRXZyi6d9g1w2cqIP7TndlfuMIdyIA5PJLmyFR0TmxGo77EIKMAZO9VAYDOr5sDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Wr9U8r/diKCJxvnk5SDfhsRRXZyi6d9g1w2cqIP7TndlfuMIdyIA5PJLmyFR0TmxGo77EIKMAZO9VAYDOr5sDg== {"files":[{"bytes":16649,"name":"index.html","sha256":"222fa2e8cda6fc796661c9c854770478daa74239df5618633e28af7ecfc980a0"},{"bytes":6658,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d47877d7f25cfe481eeaedb6155c019355691b3fa8fb897d7f078d3d867d454a"},{"bytes":6326,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"245b72be8a3eb90d423bfff843bf1ad53cbdc6956dca7f6305fe2031d9d3e226"},{"bytes":2826,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"20b44cbf189eaa533d0c96d7c6b50cea1479b3d287a7c5df4e7c0f7107ee0e05"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4f2f4ae8ce5bb25b6a3b7d010183a804a0ec865cd1d57ea3a9d53dbbca9f5127"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5ea4872be31b8a1b59d68495714d9f88848f0feb382912ddff84f68fb11c5cc6"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102287"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102287
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102287

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
245b72be8a3eb90d423bfff843bf1ad53cbdc6956dca7f6305fe2031d9d3e226

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102287, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102287" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102287 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102287 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 885 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16649, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "222fa2e8cda6fc796661c9c854770478daa74239df5618633e28af7ecfc980a0" }, { "bytes": 6658, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d47877d7f25cfe481eeaedb6155c019355691b3fa8fb897d7f078d3d867d454a" }, { "bytes": 6326, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "245b72be8a3eb90d423bfff843bf1ad53cbdc6956dca7f6305fe2031d9d3e226" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102287/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102287", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7185-baf4-c064b1e0327f" } XfV1kgDhCYlxTjxK1D188dtbcrcIMldjOezHHbcsnTlusxdgaGQ+tdvJrzteCXg4LTZnh5Um67mfPAV9b4XACw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: XfV1kgDhCYlxTjxK1D188dtbcrcIMldjOezHHbcsnTlusxdgaGQ+tdvJrzteCXg4LTZnh5Um67mfPAV9b4XACw== {"files":[{"bytes":17441,"name":"index.html","sha256":"89305de8ed038d95924a6b207770526b3c699abed361ae156e3aa615c5dacd59"},{"bytes":7340,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"aa591d35649b443f26e1a270309cad7564eee8ac643062dac733fc4dd9233eef"},{"bytes":7005,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4160ea73689ae14e9ff646958f906a71e0328a8e91dd50a47c8c316cc75073ca"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"09ede53ccbb7e81e353ae278eb0d5b699e22c3e9ed45c24e9250c52d52e5d1fe"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"bd3e1ad5b2784cf316b58053e005f1bdd59fcb11c965d55412a179d8e5ead86e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"213cf53184e80da9898ab34f0c33c2045e3d4a5052e1e32c0619b961b3a52e8f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102288"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102288
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102288

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
4160ea73689ae14e9ff646958f906a71e0328a8e91dd50a47c8c316cc75073ca

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102288, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102288" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102288 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102288 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 990 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17441, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "89305de8ed038d95924a6b207770526b3c699abed361ae156e3aa615c5dacd59" }, { "bytes": 7340, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "aa591d35649b443f26e1a270309cad7564eee8ac643062dac733fc4dd9233eef" }, { "bytes": 7005, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4160ea73689ae14e9ff646958f906a71e0328a8e91dd50a47c8c316cc75073ca" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102288/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102288", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7105-9efd-f328fe8319ae" } I9HA5CC5FM4Gg9g/P0xtevo84h+zatxCM2HPn2iGxTTf0nDlmTzbPj0MiwCBdkvbnbVlQhIF8W4E0u2x+MSgBA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: I9HA5CC5FM4Gg9g/P0xtevo84h+zatxCM2HPn2iGxTTf0nDlmTzbPj0MiwCBdkvbnbVlQhIF8W4E0u2x+MSgBA== {"files":[{"bytes":17192,"name":"index.html","sha256":"bc87342234d21516c83a135e9a889b6d9d646df0061800e54f022fcb6de58e66"},{"bytes":7134,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1233b157e90ae2f35c8c458082867ea2feaf88738f452b725ab549e8906d242f"},{"bytes":6799,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"114e7131d34d01837b4ccd96a2bb1ad34f44ba017df34f1d1b0f79db73b9300d"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e0ff5d0eeaca8d5f1ce0b726e89db6a6b30d35b4feb35638861927dec3c8d123"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8d0de1efdc1d6953464339a854699e69dc72779f130714882d4575c3f2563f91"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"653256faffe4a22ae23dce4c7263d0d455f212606e3f09cf30d485089d46eb06"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102289"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102289
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102289

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
114e7131d34d01837b4ccd96a2bb1ad34f44ba017df34f1d1b0f79db73b9300d

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102289, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102289.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102289" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102289" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102289 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102289 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102289 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102289 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102290

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
4f005f2c141eba10f307e34731417080d44af39e43977b97c109beed076baecd

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102290, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102290" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102290 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102290 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 885 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16653, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ba2f5d2b908011ed89e674f673aecd3a1475ef2f97102df3ce335993aeb95dfa" }, { "bytes": 6662, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "0523796ea60e862271e4befc4f0a2d4c6374eaddfb6029780c02f010a524c1a9" }, { "bytes": 6330, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4f005f2c141eba10f307e34731417080d44af39e43977b97c109beed076baecd" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102290/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102290", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7c0c-b21e-25dacaf90983" } R6Fk2bz6rvff4HyyL802vklBZ0wLW5o+VXaOJX5ZKC0tj78737CFlIcQ4OBF6h2KVrC91ZdNcD7TIbZrfFZKCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: R6Fk2bz6rvff4HyyL802vklBZ0wLW5o+VXaOJX5ZKC0tj78737CFlIcQ4OBF6h2KVrC91ZdNcD7TIbZrfFZKCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17445,"name":"index.html","sha256":"0fe80d9e78aa3e0e817c328c4534f895366513a8a9335396fb2fdc694502cc56"},{"bytes":7344,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"032a9c7de450caca0575e3ae6e290c2910d5ff6ba2c37e02b55bb2f4fb766e2a"},{"bytes":7009,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"7b1f93052dcd2811dadd66002820a2ace2d60734d34e31cf910e66d3b6c94856"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e0b99cf4c88ddd07593d76603f25b8cc10494e60ce345893a0f891711fb7c03d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0a21f3e5ee00c2ea33113f9e110e192a0d29710a009e3b74b8600a1849126cb1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"59945b602ef675160037a2f3b83e410c4591e395216a54f668f726cb8da9c52e"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102291"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102291
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102291

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
7b1f93052dcd2811dadd66002820a2ace2d60734d34e31cf910e66d3b6c94856

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102291, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102291" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102291 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102291 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 990 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17445, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "0fe80d9e78aa3e0e817c328c4534f895366513a8a9335396fb2fdc694502cc56" }, { "bytes": 7344, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "032a9c7de450caca0575e3ae6e290c2910d5ff6ba2c37e02b55bb2f4fb766e2a" }, { "bytes": 7009, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7b1f93052dcd2811dadd66002820a2ace2d60734d34e31cf910e66d3b6c94856" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102291/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102291", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-76e4-83b4-7573499f0956" } rOYZh1hGPBfl94iv0e6pM2lF8ww2h3s8ZelsmqiCRi5Tf/6vt+t8zx3XkUQAne2Yq5FtAHG3nOSiFeKDiy7MAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: rOYZh1hGPBfl94iv0e6pM2lF8ww2h3s8ZelsmqiCRi5Tf/6vt+t8zx3XkUQAne2Yq5FtAHG3nOSiFeKDiy7MAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17196,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c7d0fb17370aff51717beabee66a82ade5334b0a3c7b40ede154fe992f8e7b17"},{"bytes":7138,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"25e6b9f8eab106a2517c4645f41b439f190817853345008253d63fd00af78128"},{"bytes":6803,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"79aacce639c11f91a473bfcb66b6dab30e2f524c4d590143ca016979184f9e7b"},{"bytes":2835,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c73a16ae82b6950280afb29150a52afe83ed243ae99d3b7d3c980ed958cdb02e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"66682ddd4baa0538b528fabff27f4cc1d30635678f28dc23233ff904af57db54"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9a5711832662a77e6e965b1ed0bc82408bbdcb472f200e3a451438060c6b9352"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102292"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102292
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102292

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
79aacce639c11f91a473bfcb66b6dab30e2f524c4d590143ca016979184f9e7b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102292, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102292" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102292 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102292 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 956 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17196, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c7d0fb17370aff51717beabee66a82ade5334b0a3c7b40ede154fe992f8e7b17" }, { "bytes": 7138, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "25e6b9f8eab106a2517c4645f41b439f190817853345008253d63fd00af78128" }, { "bytes": 6803, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "79aacce639c11f91a473bfcb66b6dab30e2f524c4d590143ca016979184f9e7b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102292/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102292", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7e45-99f7-94784d77ec67" } xNoIoOs5q12rzaivygfKsPMGbO5o7CVIPrHbamizaLuSg6UlAKW+WYsK2gGcIp8NKy6hASQNWC53Rvws/vtiBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xNoIoOs5q12rzaivygfKsPMGbO5o7CVIPrHbamizaLuSg6UlAKW+WYsK2gGcIp8NKy6hASQNWC53Rvws/vtiBw== {"files":[{"bytes":16821,"name":"index.html","sha256":"217e726e22063a25a503da2230207e59343925ab305f6a3a9e3f4209aa29f512"},{"bytes":6802,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"be1b04aa364ac2501945f11e14b3e43bf651705c601ebddcc7aefbc2b2b489d6"},{"bytes":6482,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"266c25e26a92cc60398b95ed46b711a7c36c27bfee251f7ad785686287b13f38"},{"bytes":2801,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"243c02c1c5cdeeb1a608824efa91e5ff584e14d8d764fd13bc9c92c0c5802e0b"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"47054b641d973fd623bbed355001f1591285f0cad3b8ba934204aba81b0c9447"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f6c6e5a40cdf2b7f322814ee2d1ebd9f544cae5bae500546d131f55a5a96d697"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102293"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102293
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102293

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
266c25e26a92cc60398b95ed46b711a7c36c27bfee251f7ad785686287b13f38

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102293, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102293" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102293 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102293 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 925 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16821, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "217e726e22063a25a503da2230207e59343925ab305f6a3a9e3f4209aa29f512" }, { "bytes": 6802, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "be1b04aa364ac2501945f11e14b3e43bf651705c601ebddcc7aefbc2b2b489d6" }, { "bytes": 6482, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "266c25e26a92cc60398b95ed46b711a7c36c27bfee251f7ad785686287b13f38" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102293/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102293", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ee8-b309-c4cfbff1232d" } iI9x/Ow4ebH2VchWhsdvv4vKcnlgtydqeY7dgN6OCBLJYQECokX7MzXjMnZO+frug5JbU1r4jPCQh2bGTTFfAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: iI9x/Ow4ebH2VchWhsdvv4vKcnlgtydqeY7dgN6OCBLJYQECokX7MzXjMnZO+frug5JbU1r4jPCQh2bGTTFfAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17613,"name":"index.html","sha256":"553d9da2738e9da7a00075513c4cf56b90b2dfa82f75316d50ce2fb7ac6fa855"},{"bytes":7484,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a267758bc13df47b50d31b93b9d83de328c8a003ca6e35f0845402ff23575477"},{"bytes":7161,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"c1fc8f72740fbe9f62823407e51be21c5e85bec67ccb04250a4e6a57fbc5db28"},{"bytes":2811,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"22c2f5e0d07a9e578804286288b789210f6718cc7cf686b4336ebddd48601c2f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"10037d73e64ff2a56bbe0dc401d37add65dcbf31822d3131edaaab0eab0748a1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"4ef8eca1cd2167181ea15700e009b37ba72eed470ad681445a9c61329c3e9c95"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102294"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102294
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102294

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
c1fc8f72740fbe9f62823407e51be21c5e85bec67ccb04250a4e6a57fbc5db28

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0026]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102294, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102294.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102294" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102294" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102294 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102294 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102294 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102294 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102295

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
35878b903764389f67a50b701dbe2a32fbb394385fe103a124554fe821624043

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0025]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102295, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102295" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102295 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102295 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 996 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17364, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ff0cc222e5aa28daec67199f82cd85e492c637d0b0e4ed53fe18f1fb36efccd5" }, { "bytes": 7278, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3c18342f8e9ac077d874380bb02e2f77ae7ffbabf70a0ee909d82756984de731" }, { "bytes": 6955, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "35878b903764389f67a50b701dbe2a32fbb394385fe103a124554fe821624043" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102295/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102295", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7a6d-a446-27ce2611838a" } xmFvJ+R/v2lhUd1AEYWFrQ+tRuBa5rxbr1Ivkp6JDN/9/c/HgxjgsN4xDnQePX3bLPPLEmorRQ3ocEgYRgqnDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xmFvJ+R/v2lhUd1AEYWFrQ+tRuBa5rxbr1Ivkp6JDN/9/c/HgxjgsN4xDnQePX3bLPPLEmorRQ3ocEgYRgqnDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16767,"name":"index.html","sha256":"73f59f4af4a3dff7a9e55b50ebbfacc1c0d951c20c3f593f820a6885c6fc6567"},{"bytes":6748,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"206ba02719d344cd61f91047912850e1e97460cd3f6b4f1d1a3f630550d477d7"},{"bytes":6428,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3aca4da51ea78d1f89810d62b1a475497a10fe4bdefb5136d917e8dbcea74e8b"},{"bytes":2801,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0de7abf990566b6980ee5cc6dd10c1ca08fea9abd139da4a8033c5a579291828"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"162413869b759f765330e67ba7d59993d97ba7a9fcaf713797c3a759b5bf3b3a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"50f5795b367bb3d76845fec74d76a74d4da07df28ac5c1bedb00eb251bcbfb2b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102296"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102296
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102296

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3aca4da51ea78d1f89810d62b1a475497a10fe4bdefb5136d917e8dbcea74e8b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102296, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102296" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102296 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102296 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 910 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16767, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "73f59f4af4a3dff7a9e55b50ebbfacc1c0d951c20c3f593f820a6885c6fc6567" }, { "bytes": 6748, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "206ba02719d344cd61f91047912850e1e97460cd3f6b4f1d1a3f630550d477d7" }, { "bytes": 6428, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3aca4da51ea78d1f89810d62b1a475497a10fe4bdefb5136d917e8dbcea74e8b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102296/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102296", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7953-9c3f-281309d39fb0" } 346Q278VjVPLRphvoVsjwVLguV65ciuGc7sJRQIeI++gvbmsmvldUW12+FsgOO3wAqcH5gkLKyHIUYsH2l7hCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 346Q278VjVPLRphvoVsjwVLguV65ciuGc7sJRQIeI++gvbmsmvldUW12+FsgOO3wAqcH5gkLKyHIUYsH2l7hCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17559,"name":"index.html","sha256":"444392a7574aed7a8937ec0751261a1590c89865a32a12ed206f8e487b52f19c"},{"bytes":7430,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"39e6fc49bb72ed90d177c6f29c27026a0c8f1ca133cf5bbbe8341f9c74fb0aa4"},{"bytes":7107,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8c4ec3ba0b98ba27b4d9b3d7cd4c97d06a9a127f149ac51819077cf24d4557fb"},{"bytes":2811,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d15c41303a2c6e76473486d1d23a5caabfbc5b518a8185bde146fef8938ebb44"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"13a4e53181a7a5ad81d800ebfb08f47f8802eec5abd3eeeb4adf56277f7fb849"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"96e63f5e27b5a51c620e97d9854210bf5d0a3e2269e86bd7fe2fdd1f9648128a"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102297"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102297
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102297

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
8c4ec3ba0b98ba27b4d9b3d7cd4c97d06a9a127f149ac51819077cf24d4557fb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0026]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102297, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102297" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102297 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0026] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102297 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1015 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17559, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "444392a7574aed7a8937ec0751261a1590c89865a32a12ed206f8e487b52f19c" }, { "bytes": 7430, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "39e6fc49bb72ed90d177c6f29c27026a0c8f1ca133cf5bbbe8341f9c74fb0aa4" }, { "bytes": 7107, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8c4ec3ba0b98ba27b4d9b3d7cd4c97d06a9a127f149ac51819077cf24d4557fb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102297/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102297", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7b91-bfc3-4ea647a48ee5" } y6DzANl8kLe2kstBTd7wsI9nE4SwuVoekOrrmaXKF4OPRxj19nlEiPuhq09qd47BKqwfyxCkuOvXfV7KSim1BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: y6DzANl8kLe2kstBTd7wsI9nE4SwuVoekOrrmaXKF4OPRxj19nlEiPuhq09qd47BKqwfyxCkuOvXfV7KSim1BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17310,"name":"index.html","sha256":"3e5425a0c265572d61d3081a39566ddaff5c48a703b7437c4fb71e388b152899"},{"bytes":7224,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"be5718fc6aba075d169e312d72cf6873ad345d67990a4d4529d2057e11019764"},{"bytes":6901,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"f64bea8aa5f26257089be5d296eff5b60a496ec58619ea3a9aa4bfe60f0582bc"},{"bytes":2810,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"021a075da0985cfac05e7c57e62e522bb5d5c8efb41b5f210f86b877863ffc02"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"369834b68b81ccc0be45f860a3fb7443e0b481779b83babe126b61a612234c46"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8d9a41bf927aabba4a7037bceb3aa2f6128c4c45d605d6746ade8a346787dfdf"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102298"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102298
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102298

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
f64bea8aa5f26257089be5d296eff5b60a496ec58619ea3a9aa4bfe60f0582bc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0025]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102298, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102298" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102298 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0025] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102298 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 981 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17310, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "3e5425a0c265572d61d3081a39566ddaff5c48a703b7437c4fb71e388b152899" }, { "bytes": 7224, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "be5718fc6aba075d169e312d72cf6873ad345d67990a4d4529d2057e11019764" }, { "bytes": 6901, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f64bea8aa5f26257089be5d296eff5b60a496ec58619ea3a9aa4bfe60f0582bc" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102298/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102298", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7411-9546-76802ade3e15" } A7d0O1DtsKKGRB08d6dJ3AqGHqyMqXfkoZ20gIOX2yQ4Q5Lv5+15sm1vMriC6hzbmWPv7CGg0g++18oZm+QQAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: A7d0O1DtsKKGRB08d6dJ3AqGHqyMqXfkoZ20gIOX2yQ4Q5Lv5+15sm1vMriC6hzbmWPv7CGg0g++18oZm+QQAA== {"files":[{"bytes":16542,"name":"index.html","sha256":"98e09d25b319315bb69023343ac048f9ab0780abd1f95487c5028cc455fbed03"},{"bytes":6567,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"1e392c5aa9e29d870a41ae6bad79a8582211414f2c83baec07f14de1b11044ed"},{"bytes":6243,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"444033e2f0c15fd37b0a2471a1b8d43dc3a12945b7a6c4808bb4de7c9f48b4f9"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"58be82d90315472311bc937b32dfe3b0c8d77986e92a0b3cadb50ab5321fe5f2"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"88962257abd58313547eb43a0e01fa5fe4868d487ca432ed79b6cfba0f2a8fa8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"a1579e2e0ce79b69bc86afa91b8b2289ccbe0d5a7646b35e4177a0fa5e068dd7"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102299"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102299
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102299

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
444033e2f0c15fd37b0a2471a1b8d43dc3a12945b7a6c4808bb4de7c9f48b4f9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102299, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102299" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102299 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102299 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 873 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16542, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "98e09d25b319315bb69023343ac048f9ab0780abd1f95487c5028cc455fbed03" }, { "bytes": 6567, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "1e392c5aa9e29d870a41ae6bad79a8582211414f2c83baec07f14de1b11044ed" }, { "bytes": 6243, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "444033e2f0c15fd37b0a2471a1b8d43dc3a12945b7a6c4808bb4de7c9f48b4f9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102299/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102299", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7c8a-b3ec-64509f8b3d3a" } cCJDB1O7UjyTZoQqFZGz9W7u1YlV3aANN+CNVp1pGrZ9ZeOEpBg94ZRH6LyDFRK2iYUY5qWbIF2sSfYW/TZ8Cg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: cCJDB1O7UjyTZoQqFZGz9W7u1YlV3aANN+CNVp1pGrZ9ZeOEpBg94ZRH6LyDFRK2iYUY5qWbIF2sSfYW/TZ8Cg== {"files":[{"bytes":17334,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b6d64daf86abc9fdd00fb659de11251536ef1218b23f64e3dc064fcaf837f5ef"},{"bytes":7249,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"2740425aac145d49a7b7dffcf121b2e15699f94fc2a50947f04996713901268c"},{"bytes":6922,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8a6c791f62814319cf7b8efbd77c38ffe700f8b5768c06b819757b72fe7ee518"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ac0f3d63d28268b76dc282e13622e1bc30c92a756a13d88f682082d3710e62cd"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3b73b300146ca435896922c41347cb0132603b3f24c83fc4522ee280d647cdb1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"496f32e6c02ab6c235fd78b14bc343cad6a6488e1fc8f4f1e3eee209071ecad4"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102300"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102300
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102300

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
8a6c791f62814319cf7b8efbd77c38ffe700f8b5768c06b819757b72fe7ee518

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102300, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102300" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102300 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102300 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 978 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17334, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b6d64daf86abc9fdd00fb659de11251536ef1218b23f64e3dc064fcaf837f5ef" }, { "bytes": 7249, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "2740425aac145d49a7b7dffcf121b2e15699f94fc2a50947f04996713901268c" }, { "bytes": 6922, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8a6c791f62814319cf7b8efbd77c38ffe700f8b5768c06b819757b72fe7ee518" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102300/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102300", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7124-a60c-b4b9c240ffe9" } Z1htD+rdV5MAYjAOxV/3XnVuATHuD514SmtxhzYuRY6dRkoaG3OMpvlTLOYDSOAjJST/VuL4tQGPxIIHkoxeDg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Z1htD+rdV5MAYjAOxV/3XnVuATHuD514SmtxhzYuRY6dRkoaG3OMpvlTLOYDSOAjJST/VuL4tQGPxIIHkoxeDg== {"files":[{"bytes":17085,"name":"index.html","sha256":"8876666d624d1e4f456b6f2c6c888b490b5ad532472198e88e7a81e3b09ab1ae"},{"bytes":7043,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"a34ac1bb70a95426ac28ae4d03a05f93c4dbe344624a55738b5df77b17bf51ed"},{"bytes":6716,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"0630d330004ea41ea0cdd278caae4cf2e94da7fcbcda217596aa1eef7fc057bb"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"c5d1eb6188e81fda4a04033cb99a93f1a8d2fdd1d590adb7aa1af403ae51e38f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a632eab1470114334d8a93af74df1c9c0ac1ccb4c314d22512ea4241deffb92c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f794f846d56c21042161dac1ba8c7fbadc302e3c53e533511f10de28281cd445"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102301"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102301
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102301

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
0630d330004ea41ea0cdd278caae4cf2e94da7fcbcda217596aa1eef7fc057bb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102301, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102301" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102301 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102301 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 25, "words": 944 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17085, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "8876666d624d1e4f456b6f2c6c888b490b5ad532472198e88e7a81e3b09ab1ae" }, { "bytes": 7043, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "a34ac1bb70a95426ac28ae4d03a05f93c4dbe344624a55738b5df77b17bf51ed" }, { "bytes": 6716, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0630d330004ea41ea0cdd278caae4cf2e94da7fcbcda217596aa1eef7fc057bb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102301/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102301", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7043-98c3-d03e2d70caad" } HmdK1WA+Unw/YeGMSeMwpj88vO08BsLzdJetJkN33uvNrHsjMdeNmsvT45ASg1GlBKv1ymQUs4ReGjLy+gHADQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: HmdK1WA+Unw/YeGMSeMwpj88vO08BsLzdJetJkN33uvNrHsjMdeNmsvT45ASg1GlBKv1ymQUs4ReGjLy+gHADQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16542,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b6c37bb47a451fb5f7d0d1e2da89015f900edc53df880342cf054d7171c8b9ad"},{"bytes":6567,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"569ef9b13efee8a70c6dff735c7cb3254f05a96aa8d65e7cb695777e06750470"},{"bytes":6243,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"d98b46b9432576c57c3487dc4e2bf661cc004e1efb933ea321ed3e918371989a"},{"bytes":2818,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"812824bced7230a47d6231712b249795e14cf826dfb09b0ab6859dbb92dfc7e4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f20c28605c85ac2f5423b744f1098634890657d1c1274fe2ae833a6bad9b35be"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"28aeb2732a9be9cb3dc478ef51a1cdd21a52b555d3dddb65a3815dc6ad0ea9f9"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102302"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102302
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102302

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Supply, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
d98b46b9432576c57c3487dc4e2bf661cc004e1efb933ea321ed3e918371989a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0024]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102302, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102302" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102302 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0024] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102302 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 24, "words": 873 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16542, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b6c37bb47a451fb5f7d0d1e2da89015f900edc53df880342cf054d7171c8b9ad" }, { "bytes": 6567, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "569ef9b13efee8a70c6dff735c7cb3254f05a96aa8d65e7cb695777e06750470" }, { "bytes": 6243, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "d98b46b9432576c57c3487dc4e2bf661cc004e1efb933ea321ed3e918371989a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102302/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102302", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7672-bf17-d07b3efdf33e" } IMfA2wdE0jaAmNIchFu1Vlfy0anXgjtSdL6H7Wx9S9WXSB1njCqJa2BaYcWENQRTvXe+tfkmssmYkYZKzczhAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: IMfA2wdE0jaAmNIchFu1Vlfy0anXgjtSdL6H7Wx9S9WXSB1njCqJa2BaYcWENQRTvXe+tfkmssmYkYZKzczhAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17334,"name":"index.html","sha256":"02af129a77d0b95b7cde541e1f640664d726b120754bec2dbccb553bb0025a76"},{"bytes":7249,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5e4db37af68a8d6d28a191d8ac86a35c1a08ee223e402f80ae02563a28a1a34f"},{"bytes":6922,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"99f1be5d97dd862c889ed9f87dc60251a5f73a99cfd549d20370af5da1add461"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"df3f3cfa520ae4d367c5736e45668aa1c7b4be53f538a8660c99f6c18f086349"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9696165f78d0537644f4b77d04cee4e1c46d0bc52c6b7c9e0459e75ef90dbff8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"38ef9ff5b9e41b9988a5250313c8bf024a6c3ab69363ab52cb14e7958bafe8ae"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102303"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102303
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102303

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
99f1be5d97dd862c889ed9f87dc60251a5f73a99cfd549d20370af5da1add461

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0017]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0018]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0019]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0020]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0021]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0022]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0023]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0024]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0025]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102303, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102303" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102303 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0017] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0018] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0019] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0020] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0021] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0022] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0023] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0024] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0025] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102303 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 978 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17334, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "02af129a77d0b95b7cde541e1f640664d726b120754bec2dbccb553bb0025a76" }, { "bytes": 7249, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "5e4db37af68a8d6d28a191d8ac86a35c1a08ee223e402f80ae02563a28a1a34f" }, { "bytes": 6922, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "99f1be5d97dd862c889ed9f87dc60251a5f73a99cfd549d20370af5da1add461" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102303/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "plant vacuum connection", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102303", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-71ca-9980-0df8b46ee6bf" } 20evF8Ygb1gl6KSrKs6j2f4IV+xG1M76SzdINvRTjOpaqYyc512umXu0KS+gHfGQsS6gxazOZ7mwvKuNCnBBAw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 20evF8Ygb1gl6KSrKs6j2f4IV+xG1M76SzdINvRTjOpaqYyc512umXu0KS+gHfGQsS6gxazOZ7mwvKuNCnBBAw== {"files":[{"bytes":17085,"name":"index.html","sha256":"916451125468b6e5ae67e71722c9b4c30856452f1c8f133af685667741e2159d"},{"bytes":7043,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f4df6f0d66c46e29f55742ca02d665f614e758ed58b1c298f8d5080cb5adc7d4"},{"bytes":6716,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"018f71187dc22c8402462534d8602b5b631a0734d2ca0b0aaa86df60e70140d4"},{"bytes":2827,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"3cba26b88ffe6a35e9c77fb35008136852b2354f6cd3c308baad8b18db3e16f0"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"95a71b5fd3398f4290c9f3f9236d044501e347090cd7b536813c9c775e31787b"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"80adc5d8418599d06823d4a4f83e3306a38a0060a7b92fbdaf6830442bed0202"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102304"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102304
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102304

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Supply
Document SHA-256
018f71187dc22c8402462534d8602b5b631a0734d2ca0b0aaa86df60e70140d4

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0010]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0011]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0012]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0013]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0014]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0015]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0016]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection.

[0017]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0018]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0019]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0020]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0021]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0022]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0023]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0024]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0025]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102304, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102304.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102304" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102304" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-components-safety-infrastructure/plant-utilities/vacuum-supply" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "plant vacuum connection" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One plant vacuum connection.** The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102304 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, plant vacuum fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102304 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a plant vacuum connection. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One plant vacuum connection. The plant vacuum connection takes vacuum from the plant line, so the tool carries no generator of its own. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the plant vacuum connection, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0010] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0011] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0012] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0013] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0014] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0015] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0016] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. [0017] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0018] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0019] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0020] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0021] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0022] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0023] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0024] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0025] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10259123-B2, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102304 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102304 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one plant vacuum connection, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the plant vacuum connection. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102305

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
ab6f64d3298e911f4a419cfe76fd93709441f1d617e87333299f8722902870df

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102305, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102305" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102305 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102305 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16856, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "6b49da2187d486137dff96e03092f7228cd09eae433a3ce756d154e46518b518" }, { "bytes": 6779, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3c2c5e99484c5b07fd29fb5e11a7f38bac6e2520f856951a6fb14817c651d49b" }, { "bytes": 6474, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "ab6f64d3298e911f4a419cfe76fd93709441f1d617e87333299f8722902870df" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102305/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102305", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7ff0-b31b-f5daac829dd2" } qt1IVvCsUUSZzlJnQd+SdqJZmZW/JxDWSvCvD/s2AwKlx3RRkpjesrR/N+YA0YmxA+0aQh6DTJQn0w6HPRE+Cw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: qt1IVvCsUUSZzlJnQd+SdqJZmZW/JxDWSvCvD/s2AwKlx3RRkpjesrR/N+YA0YmxA+0aQh6DTJQn0w6HPRE+Cw== {"files":[{"bytes":17654,"name":"index.html","sha256":"55b53d1130be12265ed09209600afa39e95f5afa710bde677d0dd283749a11cb"},{"bytes":7467,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"9bb8f9eb4e912520111bd20c40cca03805a40348fb60ffcc7f76436311d91127"},{"bytes":7159,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"3d382e123d103edad3cc8103da8d218e23942eef2d7384956886264cf13f5ad3"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f0c16902ec69bc32bb46899c1b43a940df4315d8ffa515af6853adfdc0f295ee"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a8034090011b9c4568c5f72a51c3a1cbe43ee6019b7519d9a1e4a359f8d08233"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9295e29ef5280163dd0d97dc4a7532b986f2f3fb1f7f33d23c78dbdba814bc0f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102306"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102306
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102306

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
3d382e123d103edad3cc8103da8d218e23942eef2d7384956886264cf13f5ad3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102306, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102306" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102306 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102306 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1023 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17654, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "55b53d1130be12265ed09209600afa39e95f5afa710bde677d0dd283749a11cb" }, { "bytes": 7467, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "9bb8f9eb4e912520111bd20c40cca03805a40348fb60ffcc7f76436311d91127" }, { "bytes": 7159, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "3d382e123d103edad3cc8103da8d218e23942eef2d7384956886264cf13f5ad3" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102306/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102306", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7993-8d79-ac8d79522b70" } RbkBHKs2OITDU4XvQCx7uT5J2Ya+pWyTxEpUisySqoBJs3UtjaJdQRh0M31BLKl5D4wLE03BpHr5+eG1FVCzBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: RbkBHKs2OITDU4XvQCx7uT5J2Ya+pWyTxEpUisySqoBJs3UtjaJdQRh0M31BLKl5D4wLE03BpHr5+eG1FVCzBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17405,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ce66741b4a2298e4bbfec6d9545a8580171288f7027afcefb15d7d2912d0859b"},{"bytes":7261,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"546d187f8d51d90ae351928c9d547006bb89e6b31c31122b48c74dfd443a75c5"},{"bytes":6953,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"9ae5204a5b8ed829642474ae77543cee17c2f4bda9d3032f8eb7552b05909f74"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"eb57b58d429c86fa6ae9d2afefcb5e28616dd9ea284061d3eec4c353f1bc4033"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8a1745f2a7523c85f83bc7e94aafb79253faaef3e8bb5c82c067fc0c630203d5"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ee6d0867a60e8fa702f42234273eec61c5b2fbfa54193d1c680e70d0e0203f0b"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102307"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102307
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102307

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
9ae5204a5b8ed829642474ae77543cee17c2f4bda9d3032f8eb7552b05909f74

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102307, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102307" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102307 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102307 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17405, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ce66741b4a2298e4bbfec6d9545a8580171288f7027afcefb15d7d2912d0859b" }, { "bytes": 7261, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "546d187f8d51d90ae351928c9d547006bb89e6b31c31122b48c74dfd443a75c5" }, { "bytes": 6953, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "9ae5204a5b8ed829642474ae77543cee17c2f4bda9d3032f8eb7552b05909f74" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102307/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102307", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7d69-8c5a-78f91305989f" } /BJjcVzR3246w5x+a1ZBCgYonjRpocY2nB/wVbaSGnSoHO0yW26sGlXuBgLbr5i2ST/T1yDMRpHI/14DiiizDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: /BJjcVzR3246w5x+a1ZBCgYonjRpocY2nB/wVbaSGnSoHO0yW26sGlXuBgLbr5i2ST/T1yDMRpHI/14DiiizDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16857,"name":"index.html","sha256":"886e14ddaa6e833c6e57e4cb836162dd4f879e4b9265f9d5cfe6cb69077c01b5"},{"bytes":6780,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e2bcb5888d9108cda6ecaa9ba70d3c9b408d6ba692b7c7a47177bcd83597e333"},{"bytes":6475,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1fbe63de8dd09d0597fd448c040fbc102a614dfec4815fb545462e77b58c1177"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"2ac75b56a65dc5203d595cfca925e30bfa3c8cb367b04b1ecaa5215b572c9863"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"90b735e15790c77d247706332d89c7eca7c825a00030cad79249869f66feef84"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"aecf8b185cd76b44a74f832387b519b1a6e924fb869b8d8e769a6da8fe85df64"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102308"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102308
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102308

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
1fbe63de8dd09d0597fd448c040fbc102a614dfec4815fb545462e77b58c1177

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102308, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102308" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102308 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102308 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16857, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "886e14ddaa6e833c6e57e4cb836162dd4f879e4b9265f9d5cfe6cb69077c01b5" }, { "bytes": 6780, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e2bcb5888d9108cda6ecaa9ba70d3c9b408d6ba692b7c7a47177bcd83597e333" }, { "bytes": 6475, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1fbe63de8dd09d0597fd448c040fbc102a614dfec4815fb545462e77b58c1177" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102308/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102308", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7707-970a-e63ffd33fd40" } vwrZLPmS4YstKA3D2kWcmfAbIWvfrCg17XTQXFBooH7D9+jKf6deAsICgw0mpZk5meU/UBZZvhrYf9+O7lfhAg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: vwrZLPmS4YstKA3D2kWcmfAbIWvfrCg17XTQXFBooH7D9+jKf6deAsICgw0mpZk5meU/UBZZvhrYf9+O7lfhAg== {"files":[{"bytes":17655,"name":"index.html","sha256":"49b91280a858dde66b84640f16ca1339eebab4107d345ec41f4cbf36d4f64e84"},{"bytes":7468,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"7c444453b3b68439a462df94c861408d5e1eec0aa85bc8819e8a1c6a8b05f3bd"},{"bytes":7160,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"85d00e2c2f955df506f322d1bf123f34accc78184a7cb97c74aa4e22218fdef8"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"ce86c006daae83f0eb54af4b466fdec4134da9f8d14beb8aa628564d3a10bd38"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c246e2812471b8bba62289e279fbfc51286c37393b13b0190351545b6dec0fdf"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b79cea3d524445661b8a8b743eccea2ef2cba79139743c6981f0358cb84464a8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102309"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102309
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102309

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
85d00e2c2f955df506f322d1bf123f34accc78184a7cb97c74aa4e22218fdef8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102309, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102309.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102309" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102309" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102309 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102309 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102309 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102309 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102310

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
2dc156fd2f2d74f597d2ba7f37b7d5022579de03089dbee6441e5f4d4728cc17

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102310, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102310" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102310 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102310 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17406, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "860e3a52803f300d020aa161e0146e9c3cc88193c816b90a1a4d8f8d56c436cf" }, { "bytes": 7262, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "00aefda0648e27b6c2ea279bafb7e82074dc72df854a443a58f06091552df7ac" }, { "bytes": 6954, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "2dc156fd2f2d74f597d2ba7f37b7d5022579de03089dbee6441e5f4d4728cc17" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102310/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102310", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-73e4-9af6-0a8217528db8" } uCMjTesBGnXzn8+lrBR+BRj0ed2mhTJf0jLADOGkYFiWNedoter/RG7co3ipvLKkx6siyMKgHYDQv6D9JVLXBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: uCMjTesBGnXzn8+lrBR+BRj0ed2mhTJf0jLADOGkYFiWNedoter/RG7co3ipvLKkx6siyMKgHYDQv6D9JVLXBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16861,"name":"index.html","sha256":"f6a262c4780068be6da9095d0e8042949f849c2a971f4753b3d677ebb3a03904"},{"bytes":6784,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"53effa237cc7e60a1e20fb9ee2ddc1ec853766679eb6e6b28953de7f1441d30b"},{"bytes":6479,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6db2113dd9e3b24ad9a498d6a869f597fd6b75a677726d4aee10145fae02cd55"},{"bytes":2775,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"6e076defa6f1967657457932aa0fe5792be848134eabdaed3c669ffc9f98cfbb"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6c13b352df295f580e83725fbd3da81aba746823936b8f1916ba5bef2dbcb479"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"8b7211f2ef63ea38d01491084feea266ddbc0cc51bf020780080ff99542939ac"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102311"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102311
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102311

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6db2113dd9e3b24ad9a498d6a869f597fd6b75a677726d4aee10145fae02cd55

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102311, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102311" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102311 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102311 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 918 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16861, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "f6a262c4780068be6da9095d0e8042949f849c2a971f4753b3d677ebb3a03904" }, { "bytes": 6784, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "53effa237cc7e60a1e20fb9ee2ddc1ec853766679eb6e6b28953de7f1441d30b" }, { "bytes": 6479, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6db2113dd9e3b24ad9a498d6a869f597fd6b75a677726d4aee10145fae02cd55" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102311/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102311", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7f1b-8545-c12276a33208" } JehCrgmx9wfxcShLsm2RX/M7UiX4PwkMVYXV2QgbtpY7ddDDQW9m9JXq5WJcmxNmRYW2NUwse7ghel/cbr09Bg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: JehCrgmx9wfxcShLsm2RX/M7UiX4PwkMVYXV2QgbtpY7ddDDQW9m9JXq5WJcmxNmRYW2NUwse7ghel/cbr09Bg== {"files":[{"bytes":17659,"name":"index.html","sha256":"d78e340e696acb41f05fd7d9a89e3f4901a53db3e18fecd12bd8da441531cf45"},{"bytes":7472,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"49841950e1287e8499a5d306e058042930ee9cc659bfab239aa01e1523e62107"},{"bytes":7164,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"8603562a058e8d91ec72f99cc984ec0b7e72e694dc5c6b59785713f00cabc6a9"},{"bytes":2785,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"e4573e0754a31c39b1f7ab36e7da17f3e4687e0e334c1d71a606144309e32ea4"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"5966c3de8d32d5aa831bfe7ccec3c07f2ece5b4b36a8159b5283847dd3cbb9a1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"9285916caf1747629b4016ca65d0e6ae4ef4f0fc6298904e53fc5c77b67375a0"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102312"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102312
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102312

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
8603562a058e8d91ec72f99cc984ec0b7e72e694dc5c6b59785713f00cabc6a9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102312, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102312" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102312 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102312 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1023 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17659, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "d78e340e696acb41f05fd7d9a89e3f4901a53db3e18fecd12bd8da441531cf45" }, { "bytes": 7472, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "49841950e1287e8499a5d306e058042930ee9cc659bfab239aa01e1523e62107" }, { "bytes": 7164, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "8603562a058e8d91ec72f99cc984ec0b7e72e694dc5c6b59785713f00cabc6a9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102312/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102312", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-7f4d-8eae-b116941bb52f" } mnNgejo0u0xOgMaymIpHNDjKFPnpeINgodxFHnaxZJM6GgMYhHSWlQZLRWbO6HRu36HmZGKt3Ug1aH0MQc0MCA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: mnNgejo0u0xOgMaymIpHNDjKFPnpeINgodxFHnaxZJM6GgMYhHSWlQZLRWbO6HRu36HmZGKt3Ug1aH0MQc0MCA== {"files":[{"bytes":17410,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ff0f5a4ddcf0635af3d6e4a4cbd57377ba0bc9ea334d70b3049cbb1e910ea3c6"},{"bytes":7266,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d94203299321bf593c46dbb4eaf14535943da6ba9c7fd90643689728c696af98"},{"bytes":6958,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"eac5ebf6f2743da108c822ab77503f67155200ab09df21eed0d9975490169f64"},{"bytes":2784,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"dea331bf59e9b0d96d62839459e5caf9947db55e3e63630024c92a996522ca0d"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"36cfad0f04ceda39272bc2a3da9793f997dd51f2d96eaef318be7876fdfc67ca"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"32d349df1a439049d6d43f1db6ef2aeb6a2a2a449a07aa700e00b50f3174fe9c"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102313"} Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102313
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102313

Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
eac5ebf6f2743da108c822ab77503f67155200ab09df21eed0d9975490169f64

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102313, “Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102313" title: "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102313 Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102313 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three bellows cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 989 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17410, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ff0f5a4ddcf0635af3d6e4a4cbd57377ba0bc9ea334d70b3049cbb1e910ea3c6" }, { "bytes": 7266, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d94203299321bf593c46dbb4eaf14535943da6ba9c7fd90643689728c696af98" }, { "bytes": 6958, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "eac5ebf6f2743da108c822ab77503f67155200ab09df21eed0d9975490169f64" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102313/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102313", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three bellows cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f3-774b-8787-833825e4dae5" } VHXUvLnimZ7/JmqTSS4On0HMOiv5yNyv2+SZPVh0rKpWevln9xdp1hCJRKzNHnwW5Jm+yayYYWkazcEKeaCKDA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: VHXUvLnimZ7/JmqTSS4On0HMOiv5yNyv2+SZPVh0rKpWevln9xdp1hCJRKzNHnwW5Jm+yayYYWkazcEKeaCKDA== {"files":[{"bytes":17029,"name":"index.html","sha256":"fe8fd035d2151cb4f481e93604695fd546d20a9ff90322f6831da6ec6445f475"},{"bytes":6924,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"131bf3849c99f2abf8cbc54bc8989755c2a985837c030b566b355dbc2cab9398"},{"bytes":6631,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"253b0ec68c776ebe7bf8ef10fc56a708fb2b5e0d7cd46cbb2b84d67a94e306ed"},{"bytes":2750,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"80d64eb38b2364d528253c3e34e15175204f4c0de3822a3d36799ceccfb56814"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"117d08cc1daab83218e948754c861b202def74944f0f53c7c68a11f07cd1b3c8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"d2fd48edb861e561bd59a26dd0426669b7ab1dff4581aeef71ce2f49a2b8744f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102314"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102314
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102314

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
253b0ec68c776ebe7bf8ef10fc56a708fb2b5e0d7cd46cbb2b84d67a94e306ed

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102314, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102314.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102314" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102314" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102314 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102314 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102314 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102314 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102315

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
14b85367f855bd4949a1cd285d44d32d3bdad359b0e84f6ca27285da0b4facaf

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102315, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102315" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102315 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102315 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1063 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17827, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4b8881e7fa98e596becb3a7bcae18efaf337514bb11b4898983d4b2cc29b4d1a" }, { "bytes": 7612, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "67e9ccd35960ed07d10777c130d7a8205f70e3a9be613826b86ef90a35d0a9cd" }, { "bytes": 7316, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "14b85367f855bd4949a1cd285d44d32d3bdad359b0e84f6ca27285da0b4facaf" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102315/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102315", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7a1b-b7f7-3a9758dca2fc" } yUfnyIlU4sn5f3lbcmCZyuA6tFMiaGOlscy8Pt8nRKPo47E+jrGLygLFJYbc1dN+WQSHP6BJcTAcImHdMvgaBQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: yUfnyIlU4sn5f3lbcmCZyuA6tFMiaGOlscy8Pt8nRKPo47E+jrGLygLFJYbc1dN+WQSHP6BJcTAcImHdMvgaBQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17578,"name":"index.html","sha256":"70d59d0fea33dc349b2b768ccccb63b199763770dcf878feb001c0fb3c3190ba"},{"bytes":7406,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c3bc22ebfeae5c26316c34901b620c3cc3b731e192a24fb5ef5e9e373c805651"},{"bytes":7110,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"eee3dbf2d9e3af059b47aecd12ebb6475ca8c78556954df3268fd9504c3c44d3"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4a788b28acf19374fabbfbed1463199c8d20db02982e0d571b62958e9595a460"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"be6d6d1f83fc6a632f8ce1d8e68cc7f473d7b8c20e54312654bb269fd29e6cef"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ac33728f2d8c9b704987c5959c1563fdb88d06a7cf0772b330ae097a95c5718f"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102316"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102316
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102316

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
eee3dbf2d9e3af059b47aecd12ebb6475ca8c78556954df3268fd9504c3c44d3

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102316, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102316.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102316" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102316" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102316 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102316 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102316 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102316 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102317

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
a9476886b8fda6426bb1ba3328f61944491c7ce96bfebe208b51170e57395c60

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102317, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102317" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102317 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102317 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 943 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16975, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4b411ec16d45a5d6a79a7b8265f791995763d9b189b5628ec56795b43d5c29f6" }, { "bytes": 6870, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "58bf6c5be3a2c806185932d79dd0714d6ef7a4ff7b2e5359a8ed11e7574eec87" }, { "bytes": 6577, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a9476886b8fda6426bb1ba3328f61944491c7ce96bfebe208b51170e57395c60" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102317/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102317", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7f16-8b49-0d1ec2a9d2af" } FXh9MY7xO8BheaXiZKq2JDlC7fU4x/4wbb/M/xHR+p46lyzYWCBhSEUymF4ut5mABIeW7qdT9ctBpAnCU0r3Bg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: FXh9MY7xO8BheaXiZKq2JDlC7fU4x/4wbb/M/xHR+p46lyzYWCBhSEUymF4ut5mABIeW7qdT9ctBpAnCU0r3Bg== {"files":[{"bytes":17773,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b79d4ba2894d03ba9f1bf2b478881b5af2b48baa826fb0ad2b5da703eb0e8001"},{"bytes":7558,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"aa421d78da5071cb3437396d670c43d10f87114cf7927403c070882fc857c8bd"},{"bytes":7262,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"176a77a600a6d413aeaf1cd51a648fe496a29023049efe3cdc64a9c38c3bbfc9"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"8e3c63aa6410226ab780f740184a5884100518f855bc2ff266837a1bfd1f7761"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a1210a4bafab52727a42c1eb20b89700c7c909af54bc0fbe17bc79b7a40d5b5c"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6c84dfa2491a012c9d8d65e219b8684fc58a57e1f660f953ec3305acc550b723"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102318"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102318
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102318

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
176a77a600a6d413aeaf1cd51a648fe496a29023049efe3cdc64a9c38c3bbfc9

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102318, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102318" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102318 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102318 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1048 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17773, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b79d4ba2894d03ba9f1bf2b478881b5af2b48baa826fb0ad2b5da703eb0e8001" }, { "bytes": 7558, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "aa421d78da5071cb3437396d670c43d10f87114cf7927403c070882fc857c8bd" }, { "bytes": 7262, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "176a77a600a6d413aeaf1cd51a648fe496a29023049efe3cdc64a9c38c3bbfc9" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102318/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102318", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7365-8e18-b828bade20ee" } xOVgcprywZF12a9/OS9tqW1GYER/FCR77dTlq4C06E0X07BFHUAW4/YWYKGrkDHcZ1fSjolMVg2s1P12YUZPCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: xOVgcprywZF12a9/OS9tqW1GYER/FCR77dTlq4C06E0X07BFHUAW4/YWYKGrkDHcZ1fSjolMVg2s1P12YUZPCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17524,"name":"index.html","sha256":"82002f5fbab21668bb208c958a95c88c78832cdb824948223519a5629c5f33de"},{"bytes":7352,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"fb0edc487ab2c1f4677c5739574d9ce60206e3c9794d2f21affb222884fb4970"},{"bytes":7056,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"70f77a472ad54a0f912a120c321600d54d20a32b25c652859f6d555e823c088c"},{"bytes":2760,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"664be98bb03db26d58c52cf173451f1830cc532529b8f75f2182ca2174edd6d3"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"95771ca4979ae596b744e1c9ed065e77c7abda66b8a60f9b19531e14c281a5e1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"7afcbbae2e84f1a7b1583d3817df753c91ef2d943785282490edaba8167bf541"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102319"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102319
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102319

Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
70f77a472ad54a0f912a120c321600d54d20a32b25c652859f6d555e823c088c

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102319, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102319.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102319" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102319" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102319 Foam pad vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102319 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102319 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102319 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102320

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
7fab45e62f61e162c78d235171a2dd0835863960a3609a84b83b1f3063284cbb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102320, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102320.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102320" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102320" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102320 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102320 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102320 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102320 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102321

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
7eca2a62fd6c06250c5997a4779adbf211b6740ec0500068cbfb88dbf1fedb01

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102321, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102321" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102321 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102321 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1011 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17548, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ac313874c91d78821d595c583883c2f9722a48b8bd26cb0543f21f8a49cd0022" }, { "bytes": 7377, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c2e23563104f2a276542b460bdfc9dc091313479dc56df655f7c087b692ed8ad" }, { "bytes": 7077, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "7eca2a62fd6c06250c5997a4779adbf211b6740ec0500068cbfb88dbf1fedb01" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102321/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102321", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7b08-b041-e8c930ee3bd2" } mn6RvwBHhQ9Fa9Qv2WgpHHyeHKe1fXJQjrAPgcE0f/T6JylmO9bbnoWaSReiQdP8IVxugkn+Ra0mKZTPNMSsBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: mn6RvwBHhQ9Fa9Qv2WgpHHyeHKe1fXJQjrAPgcE0f/T6JylmO9bbnoWaSReiQdP8IVxugkn+Ra0mKZTPNMSsBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17299,"name":"index.html","sha256":"735e62b9c0d64c9fef8892cae59633363e93e687a6e82811ddfab43cfa9ad4aa"},{"bytes":7171,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"708bbf906eca19dc9926330628a729d65650076c5c5f7519888dd45dfe17f989"},{"bytes":6871,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"582668b15bfc544bd34eaa97536ba77ec3bec72300b159edd9042f7fa3336a23"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"f2c65171b121f7a9c176b8eba66995e1232f84fe47e62a86c07228aece201623"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f2a15b64047cfb05c5deef0c9f37c8bf3fa8cedf31226a784b122e88b29429ba"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"050250fc594f0ad0fbdd4d8f73600586d0f54258f80f3751855c3b1d0e1103a9"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102322"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102322
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102322

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
582668b15bfc544bd34eaa97536ba77ec3bec72300b159edd9042f7fa3336a23

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102322, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102322" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102322 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102322 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 977 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17299, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "735e62b9c0d64c9fef8892cae59633363e93e687a6e82811ddfab43cfa9ad4aa" }, { "bytes": 7171, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "708bbf906eca19dc9926330628a729d65650076c5c5f7519888dd45dfe17f989" }, { "bytes": 6871, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "582668b15bfc544bd34eaa97536ba77ec3bec72300b159edd9042f7fa3336a23" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102322/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102322", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-785a-acbf-2086211daf9c" } N7dCHRky+yRs5NANBY7zFOfFxXDT3gd7p2aJthCX+srB9P9SLQAZE/6KbnNXAYs9W4jSo0Ow1xV/OvVtjgonAQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: N7dCHRky+yRs5NANBY7zFOfFxXDT3gd7p2aJthCX+srB9P9SLQAZE/6KbnNXAYs9W4jSo0Ow1xV/OvVtjgonAQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16750,"name":"index.html","sha256":"11e8f0ff1e8fb17457812ddc05bd5f59d62648574d6f92a2f4687b6b76fc238a"},{"bytes":6689,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e24790aa687c831f82a0f2bf9c339118a496ad90ba410aa2f6057e61bbf04132"},{"bytes":6392,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"6c70d6955005fb2ded78d742d4d7b0b0afb6fb0c1c7b8ffc50235a599a819eba"},{"bytes":2767,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"55744888d9045243bf8dab9891b9c9800a5ff7fc34a732b8ef0617f1df0bccff"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"8ed5f56d28f7fdb3c40f152201672b3fc31ee77af91a953e3f5d675771da7eca"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b4ca383abaad41b17944c659f24cf1ecd67feaf6039aad03553205138e24ffe8"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102323"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102323
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102323

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6c70d6955005fb2ded78d742d4d7b0b0afb6fb0c1c7b8ffc50235a599a819eba

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102323, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102323" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102323 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-11427405-B1, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102323 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 906 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16750, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "11e8f0ff1e8fb17457812ddc05bd5f59d62648574d6f92a2f4687b6b76fc238a" }, { "bytes": 6689, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e24790aa687c831f82a0f2bf9c339118a496ad90ba410aa2f6057e61bbf04132" }, { "bytes": 6392, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "6c70d6955005fb2ded78d742d4d7b0b0afb6fb0c1c7b8ffc50235a599a819eba" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102323/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102323", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7c78-a196-407f66350edf" } Qr7hWV/9H036UrNHwn3OXnbOLVayEZPNhQv6+WGMk5K1zgyHymzxbhFujGzzF+ttMKv7ih+vxmKsBF3EzBW9Dw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: Qr7hWV/9H036UrNHwn3OXnbOLVayEZPNhQv6+WGMk5K1zgyHymzxbhFujGzzF+ttMKv7ih+vxmKsBF3EzBW9Dw== {"files":[{"bytes":17548,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4629cff400841a2576905bba228ec3f8c8919d7d14316d8ef8602bcad170d234"},{"bytes":7377,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e1ca2012e45d18bc317f643e3a21d5c589d98c2a743d3b21c758d1257487ac45"},{"bytes":7077,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"14c45e3ce37f0f5a2167a99dd2e9896290aa900d008c8cdd2d2c93dbf975a745"},{"bytes":2777,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0bd36b0c7b958fb031caae2d92ba3293dd878280e08afb58398408b26720eda7"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"a2e26df8ff4cbf90c2576ccb51fdf7104e311cf899ab8f5d82f8f2c3efded9d8"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"81c5c6525cd682cad60e7f62a6a81d7986b501d6524b929a4e19d40c84fcd078"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102324"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102324
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102324

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
14c45e3ce37f0f5a2167a99dd2e9896290aa900d008c8cdd2d2c93dbf975a745

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102324, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102324" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102324 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102324 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1011 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17548, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "4629cff400841a2576905bba228ec3f8c8919d7d14316d8ef8602bcad170d234" }, { "bytes": 7377, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "e1ca2012e45d18bc317f643e3a21d5c589d98c2a743d3b21c758d1257487ac45" }, { "bytes": 7077, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "14c45e3ce37f0f5a2167a99dd2e9896290aa900d008c8cdd2d2c93dbf975a745" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102324/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "vacuum pump", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102324", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7c0b-803a-6cfa10d539f6" } r9Q5s/f6r9QtBsCuXtGvISyXhI0AAvlPiXKTh7EEpbs2auygoKvitvwFCprpO+ut2eRl12ShZfZclw04tBWRDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: r9Q5s/f6r9QtBsCuXtGvISyXhI0AAvlPiXKTh7EEpbs2auygoKvitvwFCprpO+ut2eRl12ShZfZclw04tBWRDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17299,"name":"index.html","sha256":"e728d643df8287763ee58d414b7be824dc25988e0524ce83507a7dcf23126d06"},{"bytes":7171,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"8ea084345fc447a2c91e258b2e9799513545c952581bef689ad5a13dbc09e76d"},{"bytes":6871,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"fe30e3ac47278c570232d04fae5b5474350ec37384e96e8e87fc0ab799bf7d79"},{"bytes":2776,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"05f5f98a2196ee6445e435dfe16168015aceae8df8fd0802f4d2b2c7fff61993"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"9c18987c19897da1addf459a3a8c250d5e8056c596ee8c4bb3728949ef2c2a5a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ae34cf3f927424f3c7a2b146d63eafb867046b948738bfc7d550e7a347acba19"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102325"} Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102325
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102325

Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
fe30e3ac47278c570232d04fae5b5474350ec37384e96e8e87fc0ab799bf7d79

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102325, “Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102325.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102325" title: "Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102325" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "vacuum pump" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Three suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One vacuum pump.** The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Three zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102325 Three cup vacuum gripper, three zone face, common isolation valve, pump fed, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102325 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: three suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by a vacuum pump. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Three suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One vacuum pump. The pump draws the circuit down mechanically and adds its own mass to the moving assembly. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Three zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of three follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into three zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The vacuum pump is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the vacuum pump, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The three zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The pump motor is supplied from the electrical supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); drive medium of the vacuum pump: electric (sets the supply the pump motor needs from the cell); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: three (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11427405-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102325 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102325 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, three suction cups, one vacuum pump, one isolation valve, three zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the vacuum pump. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102326

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
34118f47ceb6537bef5d1e237a23099ddbd6ea7c31f256c4985a3e73000b73fc

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102326, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102326.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102326" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102326" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102326 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102326 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102326 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102326 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102327

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
f27995b5e39e7a88e6ff8b789195bbd99a4ff2c44ddf58cfd68e0b197e8ce1b8

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102327, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102327" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102327 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102327 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17773, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "976bae23284accdd891bf6930b838563775bcb715b83ab6a7b3310da61312da8" }, { "bytes": 7562, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "40f6664e9e50d4c5750b5a8d5625b89994101cda3437ee8058bd98a2dbdc81c3" }, { "bytes": 7248, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "f27995b5e39e7a88e6ff8b789195bbd99a4ff2c44ddf58cfd68e0b197e8ce1b8" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102327/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102327", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-71e3-b143-7ab029f4ac88" } +VtWV8FZ1nLx+YsULNVzEQmwW0HuqnBAI9rUcRZZXouidfmxB4tamOdYK6iOxg2o8yYotUBZ2GvBROKVRn1NDQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +VtWV8FZ1nLx+YsULNVzEQmwW0HuqnBAI9rUcRZZXouidfmxB4tamOdYK6iOxg2o8yYotUBZ2GvBROKVRn1NDQ== {"files":[{"bytes":17524,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c88a539bded627adb592392aa813c40f810834461462d942758112aad3935a5b"},{"bytes":7356,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d23ddf00bef82b4f88adf5440cbc5ff09c4080c706fd985a525e48a8305a65d7"},{"bytes":7042,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"4ad67d5810b16c4003a5008c49461dbe9265550877170f20290f893035ff448b"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"0102460f498a9004f7532aa44db1d503f17ee2fafbfe98d16946501880dd3121"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"4fb5e4e99ee380d5eeee1c568f429d50531e777264976c78d8675e5711638774"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b5607906354ad8ffb9d8803f0e155e437df13055b545e5628f349005972f5780"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102328"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102328
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102328

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
4ad67d5810b16c4003a5008c49461dbe9265550877170f20290f893035ff448b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102328, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102328" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102328 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has one fold. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: one (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102328 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 1007 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17524, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c88a539bded627adb592392aa813c40f810834461462d942758112aad3935a5b" }, { "bytes": 7356, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d23ddf00bef82b4f88adf5440cbc5ff09c4080c706fd985a525e48a8305a65d7" }, { "bytes": 7042, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "4ad67d5810b16c4003a5008c49461dbe9265550877170f20290f893035ff448b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102328/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102328", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7ec9-90c2-4e9a1b95ce0b" } yrsC/6K6F3BQSS/sN5CnDP04dyv6VjKGufglq/+Ch4ZT0A9jr8640/Nq2iYjl8LIX2cqTGihhfWsytX0zOm6DQ== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: yrsC/6K6F3BQSS/sN5CnDP04dyv6VjKGufglq/+Ch4ZT0A9jr8640/Nq2iYjl8LIX2cqTGihhfWsytX0zOm6DQ== {"files":[{"bytes":16976,"name":"index.html","sha256":"c3e22d27585548a300f8aa409464369e0d559a807be6ef6ed46221b6aceb3e62"},{"bytes":6875,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"d08fb18a494af89964251c96df092a7734090a26402d3dfe52e9695836432791"},{"bytes":6564,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"abeb2570f958d0b6cc8175ee68f0afed1881cee98545f1362745d86e4473261a"},{"bytes":2771,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"68392c57dd4ab315ce0b8a7fd825aa500fa49dfa554abcc880847741896d4846"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"45e28a3c7912196b15b59d1fc89799b034c3cdce8ef8c2ce0c29a9d16379281a"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"e0d23430eb09e2c6f84c306ac0adb97a2c1dd161e47a2f7cc2429a777133c0a3"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102329"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102329
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102329

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
abeb2570f958d0b6cc8175ee68f0afed1881cee98545f1362745d86e4473261a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102329, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102329" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102329 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102329 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 936 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16976, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c3e22d27585548a300f8aa409464369e0d559a807be6ef6ed46221b6aceb3e62" }, { "bytes": 6875, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "d08fb18a494af89964251c96df092a7734090a26402d3dfe52e9695836432791" }, { "bytes": 6564, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "abeb2570f958d0b6cc8175ee68f0afed1881cee98545f1362745d86e4473261a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102329/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102329", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7cca-88a0-a367f4e3b7db" } CnuZ8aXX2SsIcCNHj+1dPLJVQlj1A+73vxzbBDAvTdOhj5527FF0sl3FCg8p/srKkveV3sHbr/oY8xjEo3IIDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: CnuZ8aXX2SsIcCNHj+1dPLJVQlj1A+73vxzbBDAvTdOhj5527FF0sl3FCg8p/srKkveV3sHbr/oY8xjEo3IIDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17774,"name":"index.html","sha256":"554652ff75ceac39ad70404fbc8f6af92f784445ff5cb14b2092e15187722455"},{"bytes":7563,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"6962b206a98a1f9b89bd4de5f282fb2c412fd5653711d50861f2100d11314f24"},{"bytes":7249,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b02fe745f5239615ca8327e1c3fe2520392b312fed1f459fd838cf0c4afc938a"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fd8618cb2a09378002dc01a5e0b5c23b817f8e1a1803efc66b62f5612e4d658c"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"c2516a932d664ab3ebe72685ec4ea1f493adb01b2fb790c97e1ccb61d366bc54"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"f966c419381e7d0c44c477c10d75f401ba2a69b93b5e6d7a658c7322bbff4a00"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102330"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102330
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102330

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b02fe745f5239615ca8327e1c3fe2520392b312fed1f459fd838cf0c4afc938a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102330, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102330" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102330 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102330 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17774, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "554652ff75ceac39ad70404fbc8f6af92f784445ff5cb14b2092e15187722455" }, { "bytes": 7563, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "6962b206a98a1f9b89bd4de5f282fb2c412fd5653711d50861f2100d11314f24" }, { "bytes": 7249, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b02fe745f5239615ca8327e1c3fe2520392b312fed1f459fd838cf0c4afc938a" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102330/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102330", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7cdb-95e0-64f1ee11ede6" } hW5cERMfQcvbYFlc218S2V2TspHVsYPlM7sQZ9Aa7GMZCBPH7YuqmfP9wBm+qCumuLNYJndCI8C/4AVQAO95BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: hW5cERMfQcvbYFlc218S2V2TspHVsYPlM7sQZ9Aa7GMZCBPH7YuqmfP9wBm+qCumuLNYJndCI8C/4AVQAO95BA== {"files":[{"bytes":17525,"name":"index.html","sha256":"dcd0fdc0e39167e0925ca54600c1eb398ccf7c20decb00dda71e8bb627eb4e89"},{"bytes":7357,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"5f2c3c91825448f6d97f631962a04f5f9c466c714dca3317ade891d21c5c3876"},{"bytes":7043,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"aae2a6ccec0d2c3802951f2faed80d2ff3b6037daaea07e7445be84895146531"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"cdee8d34bbc926b46077ec5c470081202a5a15db2e3f15bb4dcf649ac74dfb6f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6c4ed11afe2cca7e2179267b0cff51d98e0b43eabb8a2ed7b7bcba4704196045"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"ac562352d45f9b1b9ed0c6713ac765bc4d40ddfe79817d242ba78f827600a850"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102331"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102331
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102331

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
aae2a6ccec0d2c3802951f2faed80d2ff3b6037daaea07e7445be84895146531

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102331, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102331.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102331" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102331" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102331 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102331 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has two folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: two (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102331 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102331 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102332

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
3ac2582834c100d9ec9f0796bf04feb74e67da5c1696e83cde182d63d29f6411

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102332, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102332.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102332" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102332" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102332 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102332 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and taking up height differences at the face. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102332 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102332 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102333

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
a9efdef4f2742af3fb7a5e4d14c56b2b0fd43127ffe7b83edff8f89392ccecbb

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102333, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102333" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102333 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102333 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1041 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17778, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "bbd67f7270828ae69631988beb63c8b4e06eb95467407fb18758d29286fb008a" }, { "bytes": 7567, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "06bb1f7a870a2a7018f444e153c6071480f1649a040978d4c22ba128c452e322" }, { "bytes": 7253, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "a9efdef4f2742af3fb7a5e4d14c56b2b0fd43127ffe7b83edff8f89392ccecbb" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102333/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "bellows cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102333", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7d9f-9e98-cc47cfc19ce6" } oe+jgnZJNQw7ythsJkffU41K8pJkVAopCzrllN0M8keqCkMhRUzYjfWcTsSMMmz123z2IL+Tvjgtt0wjwi2mBw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: oe+jgnZJNQw7ythsJkffU41K8pJkVAopCzrllN0M8keqCkMhRUzYjfWcTsSMMmz123z2IL+Tvjgtt0wjwi2mBw== {"files":[{"bytes":17529,"name":"index.html","sha256":"4049d5d5527c1ca1c235c90a4ba1dea2afaa113111d6830a98cda6ec1eb3db40"},{"bytes":7361,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"e396651a564b93f8027f8065ddb2d2c9c2fe925086db309e4bb82d9f4d5a2df2"},{"bytes":7047,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"5d1a29f89fac693e58e70793d8a70a90549e497903378ed003e3100da43fdb82"},{"bytes":2781,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"81c65c5de79c8bb5e58753c9d5ce91aa5dc58f1beeb67df1e5054df6a0ee8b4e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f65e3bb253212b38afe42c9c26b0d5d684e2c08f3224baf06abfa7779bf2e01f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"734a6782911557710271397bb8834d94134b98605591b99d1581f7761548ff88"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102334"} Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102334
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102334

Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
5d1a29f89fac693e58e70793d8a70a90549e497903378ed003e3100da43fdb82

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102334, “Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102334.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102334" title: "Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102334" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "bellows cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four bellows cups.** Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102334 Four bellows cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102334 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four bellows cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, taking up height differences at the face and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four bellows cups. Each bellows cup is folded so that it shortens under vacuum and takes up a height difference between the face and the workpiece. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. Each bellows cup has three folds. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The bellows cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each bellows cup is connected to its own zone line, one bellows cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the bellows cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); folds of the bellows cups: three (sets the travel taken up between the face and the workpiece, and the lateral stiffness of the cup under load); material of the bellows cups: plastic (sets the friction at the lip and the resistance of the folds to fatigue); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4489564-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102334 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102334 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four bellows cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the bellows cups reach the workpiece, the bellows cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102335

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
41c076e857d4305503458aa90621d8c17f60024df913e5b21aa4db49855412de

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102335, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335.

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Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102335" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102335 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102335 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 27, "words": 976 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17156, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "db8ccc1fe120f5eecb648337fabd6e6516ad4747ec887758035fad7c4a119098" }, { "bytes": 7025, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "692eb455f22669f822bb9485afc11e2a00bc2274eae8c428eae67d4fc78bd22e" }, { "bytes": 6725, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "41c076e857d4305503458aa90621d8c17f60024df913e5b21aa4db49855412de" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102335/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102335", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7856-a232-3282dfbb7e49" } B/aC+ZOQTvGPQtD6/Dfv7xnmikIRt2c7qLgn3BW8TWv5oDQJ0KHBYHhvzuhYVfB/+VZ0PayXW6CURxgH/NzPCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: B/aC+ZOQTvGPQtD6/Dfv7xnmikIRt2c7qLgn3BW8TWv5oDQJ0KHBYHhvzuhYVfB/+VZ0PayXW6CURxgH/NzPCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17954,"name":"index.html","sha256":"1a3da64023460fc0c1e649d9754b5b743d1e5db5816746384048650ce61d0275"},{"bytes":7713,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"c15ef5580cbfb8eebc4a87a77a4867e9b040545cf0870e08828e39ca0a4bb5b6"},{"bytes":7410,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"71c457f24ec732625848977f72970115c15eb0cf6f07e0bd13da3c40f277ca07"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"fe407ce08649dd3584b73fe7363c2247bb12c8f189bc6df1e16891ab51c76c96"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"3a5df1a357525e0619fd9e0217a9eee50d5032939e48baefd1e736a19151d8a1"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"5e937e67b6fe73af20e1d24c923204d2422520cc31df7f3af8163a9800751395"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102336"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102336
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102336

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
71c457f24ec732625848977f72970115c15eb0cf6f07e0bd13da3c40f277ca07

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102336, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102336" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102336 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102336 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1081 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17954, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "1a3da64023460fc0c1e649d9754b5b743d1e5db5816746384048650ce61d0275" }, { "bytes": 7713, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "c15ef5580cbfb8eebc4a87a77a4867e9b040545cf0870e08828e39ca0a4bb5b6" }, { "bytes": 7410, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "71c457f24ec732625848977f72970115c15eb0cf6f07e0bd13da3c40f277ca07" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102336/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102336", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7094-aa2e-f141948db483" } 4bYxoXKSXfZt+Apkckhn2EYoNBMRKFJx+avqpkn1dmDZ3r4JuyewBF43lKTBkeqfkCzlP3rLb/e9zEwwP/LDAA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 4bYxoXKSXfZt+Apkckhn2EYoNBMRKFJx+avqpkn1dmDZ3r4JuyewBF43lKTBkeqfkCzlP3rLb/e9zEwwP/LDAA== {"files":[{"bytes":17705,"name":"index.html","sha256":"6a3c0d59d5c621dfe3e98eafc25babee5e3dca00c0093b9b08a4e6c0cd410ce0"},{"bytes":7507,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"f51e69163d9493ab4712063e97eefc56b8210e0bef8493e77aa6c7e0d83eb386"},{"bytes":7204,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"01a48276e6b9eb67c76a67f3966708b0e4b83fce1a7d592f48339114d6acc29e"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"4b9d4a37afa5f8835f31f46b78b19cd00312aa93d44d9d991b38d3f6483dd27e"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"6745649e845b03c81e250850b741bfb7db43872f0669e9ddcc634fab519ce4f0"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"58ba2afc03c712254fb600f58d09fac7cc5e0d0ce804323881f4d838842da469"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102337"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102337
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102337

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
01a48276e6b9eb67c76a67f3966708b0e4b83fce1a7d592f48339114d6acc29e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102337, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102337.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102337" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102337" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102337 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102337 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of open cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: open cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The open-cell foam passes air through its whole face, so an uncovered part of the face draws air through the pad itself; the supply is sized for that continuous flow and the pad relies on flow restriction through the foam, not on a seal, to hold vacuum behind a covered area. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102337 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102337 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102338

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
6d953c0ea2ebc4d1b7ba5bbd137674a85796fa2f675153463f2b6aa291d94635

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102338, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102338.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102338" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102338" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102338 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102338 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102338 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102338 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102339

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
0caf174fe972d9cf661d65d4c6e121a1c612d89f06b97ddd1169e1ba69ad6582

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0028]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0029]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102339, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102339" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102339 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0028] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0029] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102339 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 29, "words": 1066 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17900, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "c117c69447bb2b72a50213bcbaddbe66c56116064d04ffbf0bbab409222ffd79" }, { "bytes": 7659, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "26ae4f05b4bb8875e7fadddb79c6bae83d23a485192666e4b2ac3f4f46b8b5af" }, { "bytes": 7356, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "0caf174fe972d9cf661d65d4c6e121a1c612d89f06b97ddd1169e1ba69ad6582" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102339/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102339", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-77a4-9f03-e775574c36f4" } QqhVDQK5fh9tFnRy2CwlXSmj+WLqPVFr+TloThy54AUQhsNeUzS8zUdyz+S+fZXIPCVLOf6awTDnISCqNiXrDw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: QqhVDQK5fh9tFnRy2CwlXSmj+WLqPVFr+TloThy54AUQhsNeUzS8zUdyz+S+fZXIPCVLOf6awTDnISCqNiXrDw== {"files":[{"bytes":17651,"name":"index.html","sha256":"b064b481f3807cb8e9544c34e5bf27ed5d9577889c9ec4aec6d3cc88568ab607"},{"bytes":7453,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3f7e5d39910794b135cbb862d7980a621e5f9715fcf41b04edd4d13609fa7382"},{"bytes":7150,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"1f7d8a856ccf03fc811d59f12206f30718ebbf60766615605cbd1e72eafcdf47"},{"bytes":2758,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"b7cdba2b9e17c487973cdcbb89e45387c73f0fbc064f7cefc6480502c0c3521f"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"0085efc76aa36245a8f3099d25c6a4a0a35645d17b61f8fb0f1a015d5078c46f"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"bee58f53916d0843de401dbc096baf5488a05e96e9d694b9638f38f30858ae39"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102340"} Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102340
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102340

Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
1f7d8a856ccf03fc811d59f12206f30718ebbf60766615605cbd1e72eafcdf47

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece.

[0027]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

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OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102340, “Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340.

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Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102340" title: "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "foam pad" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **One foam pad.** The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102340 Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: one foam pad carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release, holding a workpiece that a rigid lip cannot seal against and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] One foam pad. The foam pad presents a compliant face to the workpiece; the holding force is spread over the contact area rather than concentrated at a lip. The pad is of closed cell foam. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The foam pad is carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each zone line opens into its own section of the distribution chamber behind the porous face of the foam pad, so that the pad is evacuated zone by zone. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the foam pad has reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); material of the foam pad: sponge (sets the compliance of the sealing face); porosity of the foam pad: closed cell (sets whether air passes through the pad body or only through openings cut through it); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The closed-cell foam does not pass air through its body; the face is evacuated through openings cut through the pad into the distribution chamber, and the foam around each opening forms the seal against the workpiece. [0027] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are EP-4385681-B1, US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102340 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, one foam pad, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the foam pad reaches the workpiece, the foam pad is evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1032 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17651, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "b064b481f3807cb8e9544c34e5bf27ed5d9577889c9ec4aec6d3cc88568ab607" }, { "bytes": 7453, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "3f7e5d39910794b135cbb862d7980a621e5f9715fcf41b04edd4d13609fa7382" }, { "bytes": 7150, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "1f7d8a856ccf03fc811d59f12206f30718ebbf60766615605cbd1e72eafcdf47" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102340/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "foam pad", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102340", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Foam pad vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7eb6-984a-5bdf678fd307" } 8RKsozxGOfqOgiiBqzWoi1FdFShiI/QilmmfwtKHqw0pKd91y1PWL+4F7Jd6PzaVgiCHl7ZPwaKSaefVw1v6BA== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: 8RKsozxGOfqOgiiBqzWoi1FdFShiI/QilmmfwtKHqw0pKd91y1PWL+4F7Jd6PzaVgiCHl7ZPwaKSaefVw1v6BA== {"files":[{"bytes":16869,"name":"index.html","sha256":"672682309936f0d1a50433440fb2760e6564250bf4341df608c5d57e189f3deb"},{"bytes":6784,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"aa682c05bbd967168974b309ee2b26b74442588e37826d33ade63034db2168ba"},{"bytes":6481,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"edbef360180fcc42a9a9aef49c96ca665fc4f8335238b275a67aa020fcc39f3b"},{"bytes":2763,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"d1843ebf1c8496879c4e627970e013cc0cf37b07a0c56ebb70ac817ac1925120"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"f14f262d299bd9e0fa483a9e25f6e07d635232477b770e8983a27f828e449bbd"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"6e7e632ea06a789d5472c49afe3f56b076897e724b4de1f7d1c62640e54c4057"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102341"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102341
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102341

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
edbef360180fcc42a9a9aef49c96ca665fc4f8335238b275a67aa020fcc39f3b

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102341, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102341" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102341 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102341 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16869, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "672682309936f0d1a50433440fb2760e6564250bf4341df608c5d57e189f3deb" }, { "bytes": 6784, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "aa682c05bbd967168974b309ee2b26b74442588e37826d33ade63034db2168ba" }, { "bytes": 6481, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "edbef360180fcc42a9a9aef49c96ca665fc4f8335238b275a67aa020fcc39f3b" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102341/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102341", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7b75-aa43-53742ab816d0" } +jpkCcikOGENMqi0owRIo73o+S+rDyVmAKC2vhYEOOHKozQoP+xe9DYhObfzZ1kyhb/GnS69Z7jGR/In8ezWCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: +jpkCcikOGENMqi0owRIo73o+S+rDyVmAKC2vhYEOOHKozQoP+xe9DYhObfzZ1kyhb/GnS69Z7jGR/In8ezWCw== {"files":[{"bytes":17667,"name":"index.html","sha256":"ccda5443bbd90ef93d29bae2af9da6e06cf2dcd146ba281dea80f1db41231446"},{"bytes":7472,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"26cf3554b1673962bebbc95a02e2941edef3a8728a7bd0250e12ac89e869801e"},{"bytes":7166,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"b77725240c04f38a7ba9ffa81e29a278a9fe9beb17d5e8105bb2b0bf2196fc3e"},{"bytes":2773,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"961dcec275102cca91ce4585b76a85fea31267953f4b0cedcfcf40267424fcbc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"18f749bd7a930d487225fa6231333fb9a74fe482e249709f769a28e23e6af422"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"0feea6a7bc1e77eca09de199f8dd729be2915e71d12916d132f61cad144da9fb"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102342"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102342
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102342

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
b77725240c04f38a7ba9ffa81e29a278a9fe9beb17d5e8105bb2b0bf2196fc3e

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0018]The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0019]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0020]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0021]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0022]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0023]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0024]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0025]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0026]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0027]The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement.

5. Provenance and status

[0028]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102342, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102342" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. ## 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102342 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a pneumatic lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The locking piston of the tool-change interface is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0018] The isolation valve, the blow-off valve and the lock of the tool-change interface are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0019] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0020] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0021] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0022] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0023] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0024] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve, the tool-change interface; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0025] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: pneumatic (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0026] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0027] The lock is engaged by compressed air acting on the locking piston and is held only while that air pressure is applied; what the lock does on loss of air pressure is not fixed by this arrangement. 5. Provenance and status [0028] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102342 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 28, "words": 1029 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 17667, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "ccda5443bbd90ef93d29bae2af9da6e06cf2dcd146ba281dea80f1db41231446" }, { "bytes": 7472, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "26cf3554b1673962bebbc95a02e2941edef3a8728a7bd0250e12ac89e869801e" }, { "bytes": 7166, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "b77725240c04f38a7ba9ffa81e29a278a9fe9beb17d5e8105bb2b0bf2196fc3e" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102342/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "tool-change interface", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102342", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-738c-a2c7-a7790b659a0a" } ROQCWeFr77ytOP1Q8Ix3Nt45nCHsMM5BR6LuxYesUPTOSRRp0Mwdo9InVvGLh8Ra/hKRnBC48hOEAOb4ehnVCg== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ROQCWeFr77ytOP1Q8Ix3Nt45nCHsMM5BR6LuxYesUPTOSRRp0Mwdo9InVvGLh8Ra/hKRnBC48hOEAOb4ehnVCg== {"files":[{"bytes":17418,"name":"index.html","sha256":"5fdbbf74dda4fc59d4830f6cc6e25e99bf9208dfb005ce8e1c14528668e5598b"},{"bytes":7266,"name":"publication.md","sha256":"3920d3c450664779e3ae557366710e94fb727d02b4ee06a280fe109e89da8bc6"},{"bytes":6960,"name":"publication.txt","sha256":"797816c61b977405b436dc2ccbb764c9222337cd27cddbdbd91e6c95300f015a"},{"bytes":2772,"name":"manifest.json","sha256":"a437a586e6ccf337df776db021a4495292afa80029b373dbf610e6a478a867cc"},{"bytes":89,"name":"manifest.sig","sha256":"b1a397f3ecdd905170634d7354fe9615aabd2904307edd6b04e7561473bc106e"},{"bytes":227,"name":"manifest.sig.txt","sha256":"b04b29363a7f9f14f0e1607e673338c50c54d8d1ab714a3998143a33d08bdd02"}],"publication_id":"OT-2026-000102343"} Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer - OpenTechnical OT-2026-000102343
OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102343

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Tool Changers, Vacuum Generation
Document SHA-256
797816c61b977405b436dc2ccbb764c9222337cd27cddbdbd91e6c95300f015a

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

[0026]The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool.

5. Provenance and status

[0027]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102343, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102343.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102343" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102343" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/tool-changers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "tool-change interface" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One tool-change interface.** The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. ## 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102343 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down, on a tool changer Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102343 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a tool-change interface, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum, clearing the face at release and exchanging the tool without rewiring the cell. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One tool-change interface. The tool-change interface splits the tool into a robot side and a tool side, so the tool can be exchanged without dismantling it. The tool-change interface has a mechanical lock. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the flat form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the tool-change interface. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the tool-change interface is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: locking of the tool-change interface: mechanical (sets what has to be present at the interface for the tool to stay attached); form of the suction cups: flat (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. [0026] The lock is engaged by a manually operated lever on the interface; no supply crosses the interface for the lock, and tool exchange needs an operator at the tool. 5. Provenance and status [0027] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-11858125-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102343 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102343 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one tool-change interface, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. 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OpenTechnical

OT-2026-000102344

Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down

Published
Permanent URL
Classification
Robotics & Automation › End Effectors › Vacuum Grippers
Also classified in
Valves and Manifolds, Vacuum Generation, Vacuum Safety Systems
Document SHA-256
fecfd287b60c9c3714232b4ee25f7b454e9ef2af1f51781420e87ba0ada286e0

Abstract

A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.

1. Purpose and arrangement

[0001]This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations.

2. Components, construction and connections

[0002]One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot.

[0003]Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form.

[0004]One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage.

[0005]One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common.

[0006]Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch.

[0007]One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down.

[0008]The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0009]The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange.

[0010]The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply.

[0011]The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only.

[0012]Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line.

[0013]The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face.

[0014]The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange.

[0015]The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0016]The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell.

[0017]The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller.

3. Operating sequence and conditions

[0018]

  • When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector.

[0019]

  • After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller.

[0020]

  • While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face.

[0021]

  • After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve.

[0022]

  • The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit.

[0023]The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly.

4. Parameters and operating assumptions

[0024]Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down).

[0025]The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again.

5. Provenance and status

[0026]This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination.

Publication information

Plain textMarkdownManifestIntegrity record

Citation

OpenTechnical Publication OT-2026-000102344, “Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down,” published September 17, 2026 at 09:13:19 UTC, https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344.

To cite specific content, add the paragraph or figure numbers.

Terms

Published through OpenTechnical, which means it has been made publicly available here. It is not a statement that the design has been built, tested or independently validated. Content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. See the publication policy.

--- publication_id: "OT-2026-000102344" title: "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down" published_at: "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z" canonical_url: "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344" categories: - "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds" - "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation" - "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" keywords: - "zoned vacuum tool" - "mounting flange" - "suction cup" - "ejector" - "isolation valve" - "zone branch" - "blow-off valve" - "blow off release" - "common isolation" - "compressed air supply" --- # Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down ## Abstract A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. ## 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. ## 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] **One mounting flange.** The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] **Four suction cups.** Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] **One ejector.** The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] **One isolation valve.** The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] **Four zone branches.** Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] **One blow-off valve.** The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. ## 3. Operating sequence and conditions - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. ## 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. ## 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. OPENTECHNICAL PUBLICATION OT-2026-000102344 Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down Published: 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z Permanent URL: https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344 Categories: Robotics & Automation > End Effectors > Vacuum Grippers ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ABSTRACT A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed. 1. Purpose and arrangement [0001] This disclosure describes a zoned vacuum gripping tool: four suction cups carried on a mounting flange, fed by an ejector. It is arranged for handling workpieces that do not cover the whole gripping face, cutting part of the circuit while the rest holds vacuum and clearing the face at release. One concrete embodiment is described; every connection is stated with the medium it carries, and the operating sequence is given as conditions on named operations. 2. Components, construction and connections [0002] One mounting flange. The mounting flange carries the whole assembly and presents the bolt pattern that meets the robot. [0003] Four suction cups. Each suction cup presents a sealing lip to the workpiece and is evacuated through its own connection. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one gripping element per zone branch. The suction cups are of the oval form. [0004] One ejector. The ejector draws the circuit down by passing compressed air through a nozzle; it has no moving part at the tool and consumes air for as long as it runs. The ejector has one stage. [0005] One isolation valve. The isolation valve sits in the line it controls; closing it cuts that line without disturbing the rest of the circuit. Isolation is common. [0006] Four zone branches. Each zone branch carries the vacuum of one zone of the face and no other. The count of four follows from the arrangement: one branch per zone. The distribution is divided into four zones, each fed by its own branch. [0007] One blow-off valve. The blow-off valve drives compressed air back through the circuit to the face, which clears the face instead of waiting for the circuit to refill. The blow-off is a short pulse. The blow-off pulse is given after set-down. [0008] The suction cups are carried on the tool side of the mounting flange. [0009] The ejector is fixed to the tool side of the mounting flange. [0010] The isolation valve is placed in the line from the ejector, so that closing the valve cuts the whole circuit from the supply. [0011] The four zone branches are taken from a branch junction on the isolation valve outlet, so that each branch carries the vacuum of its own zone only. [0012] Each suction cup is connected to its own zone line, one suction cup per zone, and is evacuated through that line. [0013] The blow-off valve is connected to the circuit at the line downstream of the isolation valve, so that compressed air can be driven back through the circuit to the face. [0014] The robot side of the mounting flange is bolted to the robot flange. [0015] The ejector is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0016] The blow-off valve is fed from the compressed air supply of the cell. [0017] The isolation valve and the blow-off valve are switched by the cell controller. 3. Operating sequence and conditions [0018] - When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. [0019] - After the suction cups have reached the workpiece, the isolation valve is closed by the cell controller. [0020] - While the isolation valve is in the closed state, the vacuum downstream of the valve is maintained by the sealed gripping face. [0021] - After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. [0022] - The workpiece is held until the blow-off valve has opened the circuit. [0023] The cell controller commands the blow-off valve, the isolation valve; no sensor drives an actuator directly. 4. Parameters and operating assumptions [0024] Parameter values of this embodiment: form of the suction cups: oval (sets the shape of the contact area and the behaviour of the lip on a curved workpiece); material of the suction cups: polyurethane (sets the friction at the lip and the tolerance of the lip to oil and heat); stages of the ejector: one (sets the flow drawn at low vacuum and the compressed air consumed while a sealed face is held); control of the isolation valve: common (sets which part of the circuit the valve cuts: one branch line on its own or the whole circuit); material of the isolation valve: steel; material of the zone branches: plastic; zones of the zone branches: four (sets how much of the face can be treated separately); duration of the blow-off valve: a short pulse (sets how quickly the face clears and how much air each release costs); timing of the blow-off valve: after set-down (sets whether the pulse assists a drop release or clears the face after set-down). [0025] The blow-off is a short pulse: the valve opens for a fraction of a second, long enough to break the seal and clear the face, and closes again. 5. Provenance and status [0026] This document is an original combination composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks. Each block was derived from a published patent and carries typed connection points, the parameters its source states, and its own construction and operating description. The combination described here is proposed and has not been constructed. The published documents behind the blocks used in this arrangement are US-10163334-B1, US-10549431-B2, US-2016214812-A1, US-8132312-B2, WO-2008134339-A4, WO-2026020244-A1; their text is not reproduced, and the description above is generated from the structure of the combination. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OpenTechnical publication OT-2026-000102344 Published 2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344 { "abstract": "A zoned vacuum gripping tool comprising one mounting flange, four suction cups, one ejector, one isolation valve, four zone branches and one blow-off valve. When the suction cups reach the workpiece, the suction cups are evacuated by the ejector. After the workpiece has reached the set-down position, the workpiece is blown off by the blow-off valve. The arrangement is a proposed configuration composed from a typed library of mechanism blocks derived from published patents; it has not been constructed.", "canonical_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344", "categories": [ "robotics-automation/end-effectors/vacuum-grippers", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/valves-and-manifolds", "industrial-motion-power-transmission/fluid-power/vacuum-generation", "lifting-positioning-manipulation/vacuum-lifting/vacuum-safety-systems" ], "extent": { "figures": 0, "paragraphs": 26, "words": 924 }, "figures": [], "files": [ { "bytes": 16869, "media_type": "text/html; charset=utf-8", "name": "index.html", "sha256": "433ee515d3930ae76704f8eeef246c5b0480a8294d2fab419a8169d02de6c193" }, { "bytes": 6784, "media_type": "text/markdown; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.md", "sha256": "f8dc170cfebe3fd539a48452ab95437c08857b7fcf9ff13e18331a430fe29461" }, { "bytes": 6481, "media_type": "text/plain; charset=utf-8", "name": "publication.txt", "sha256": "fecfd287b60c9c3714232b4ee25f7b454e9ef2af1f51781420e87ba0ada286e0" } ], "integrity": { "hash_algorithm": "sha256", "keys_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys", "record_url": "https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000102344/integrity", "signature_algorithm": "Ed25519", "signature_file": "manifest.sig", "verify_url": "https://opentechnical.org/integrity/verify" }, "keywords": [ "zoned vacuum tool", "mounting flange", "suction cup", "ejector", "isolation valve", "zone branch", "blow-off valve", "blow off release", "common isolation", "compressed air supply" ], "language": "en", "license": { "name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "publication_id": "OT-2026-000102344", "published_at": "2026-09-17T09:13:19.361569Z", "publisher": "Nebula Innovations Limited", "record_type": "disclosure", "schema": "opentechnical-publication-manifest/1.0", "supersedes": null, "title": "Four cup vacuum gripper, four zone face, common isolation valve, single stage ejector, pulsed blow-off after set-down", "uuid": "01a0aea4-50f4-7b24-bc0c-239d827d3f74" } ve5eefeyqcZZoRSbMVbtN6H5hUoUx1JtNlUQUNtfHgRdes7USUKOuN5fllZImQ95lYzMMytulwEoelVS9knmCw== algorithm: Ed25519 key_id: OT-SIGN-2026-01 public_key: https://opentechnical.org/integrity/keys signed_file: manifest.json signature_b64: ve5eefeyqcZZoRSbMVbtN6H5hUoUx1JtNlUQUNtfHgRdes7USUKOuN5fllZImQ95lYzMMytulwEoelVS9knmCw==